Just a Dream
by misty23y
Summary: With only days to go until his government contract is over, Ranger gets called out on one final mission. Six months later, Stephanie's world comes crashing down around her. Will Stephanie find the strength to move on with her life? One shot for now, to finished later. Babe story, HEA in the future, and Cupcake friendly. Rating for subject matter, romance, and language.
1. The End of the World

**The characters belong to JE, the stories are mine, with some borrowing from cannon for authenticity.**

Chapter 1—The End of the World

"Babe, I got the call this morning. They need me for one last mission." Ranger told me when I arrived to work.

"What do you mean, one last mission. I thought your contract was up in two days?" I replied.

"Yes, it is, but up until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, they can call me and now they have. I can't turn it down. Trust me, Babe, I don't want to go. But once I get home from the mission, I'm done for good. No more going in the wind for me."

"What time are you leaving?"

"I have to be in D.C. by 5 p.m. We have about four hours before I have to leave. Let's go upstairs and make the most of our time together."

We go up to Ranger's penthouse on the seventh floor of the building. Once inside, we kiss and embrace each other. We make love against the door, on the breakfast bar, the couch, the dining room table, the bed, and finally the shower. We're getting dressed, and Ranger is putting on his Army dress uniform, which I had never seen him in. Wow, he's so sexy in the uniform. I'm putting my Rangeman uniform back on and I'm trying not to cry. We've been dating for the last year and it's been magical. I'm practically living with Ranger, but I keep my apartment, more for appearances than anything else. I'm rarely there. "You really have to go?"

"Yes." Ranger says before pulling me in his arms. "This is ridiculous. I've never heard of someone being called two days before their contract expired. I don't want to leave you, Stephanie. This is the first time that I ever regretted signing that contract." He let me go and walked to his gun safe. When he closed it, he came back over to me and knelt on one knee. "Stephanie, I hate to do this now, but having your answer will help give me hope and a reason to come home quickly. Babe, I have been in love with you since the first time I laid eyes on you in the suit at that diner when you asked me to help you become a bounty hunter. I never thought that I was good enough for you, but you broke down every barrier. Stephanie Plum, will you do me the honor of promising to become my wife?"

I couldn't hold back the tears. I wanted nothing more than to be Stephanie Manoso, but I didn't think that he would ever want to marry me. "Yes, Ricardo Carlos Manoso, I will marry you." He slipped the diamond and sapphire engagement ring on my left hand, stood up and kissed me senseless.

"I should be home within three months. Once I get back, we'll start planning for our wedding. I love you, Babe. Don't forget that." We kiss one more time before Tank knocks on the door. Ranger opens it up. "Boss, we need to leave if you're going to make the plane."

"I'm ready." He turns and looks at me once last time. "Be safe, and remember, I love you, Babe."

"I love you too, Batman." Those were the last words that I said to Ranger before he left.

Six months have gone by and we haven't heard from Ranger. Tank keeps telling me that everything is probably fine and that there were probably some complications but not to worry. As the time is passing, I see Tank starting to get worried, along with Bobby and Lester. I'm still working for Rangeman and I love my job. I stay in the penthouse at least four nights, just so I feel close to Ranger. Though, lately, it's getting harder for me to sleep. For the last week, I have this feeling of dread whenever I think of Ranger. I'm afraid that he's in trouble. I have to go pick up Mooner again, because once again, he forgot his court date. I go to Tank to tell him I'll be back in a few hours. And I don't need back up.

I leave Rangeman in my cute, baby blue, two-year-old Honda CRV. Thanks to working at Rangeman, I can afford a normal, well running car as opposed to my usual POS. I arrive at the Bond office after stopping at Tasty Pastry for a dozen donuts. Connie, the office manager and Lula, the file clerk and my sometime partner, are sitting there waiting for me. I put down the box of donuts and we each select one to start with.

"I'm going to go get Mooner today, Lula, you want to ride along?"

"Yeah, girlfriend, that sounds good. When are we leaving?"

"In a half hour. Once I finish my coffee." The words were barely out of my mouth when I saw the two black SUVs pull up in front of the office. Tank, Lester, and Bobby got out and were walking towards the door. I immediately knew they heard something about Ranger. Once I saw their faces and body language, I knew it was good.

Lester was the first to walk in and he came over to me on the couch. "Hello Beautiful. I missed you this morning."

"What did you hear?" I try to hide the panic in my voice but the sense of dread was overwhelming. The guys looked at each other and finally Bobby spoke.

"Steph, we just got a call from Ranger's handler, he's not coming home."

"No, you're wrong. He's coming home. He promised me he would return. We're getting married. He has to come home." I'm starting to cry.

"Stephanie, I'm so sorry." Tank said.

"There has to be a mistake. How do they know it's him?"

"Dental records and his dog tags." Lester replied.

"Dental…records? What are you not telling me?"

"They found him in the building where he was supposed to be getting his man, in the burnt-out shell of the building." Tank said.

I start to hyperventilate. It's real, he's really gone. I won't even be able to see him again because he isn't a body, at least not like what he was. Now my sobs are uncontrollable. All I keep thinking is why me? I finally found the man of my dreams and we both realized what we wanted and he's been taken away from me before we could live our lives.

"His remains will arrive here tomorrow. His parents are coming to help finalize his funeral. He made all the arrangements ahead of time. He'll be buried here in Trenton."

Bobby is holding me in his arms and I'm not really hearing what is being said. I just can't bare the pain of knowing I will never see Ranger again. I will never hear him say he's proud of me again, nor feel his body next to mine. He has ruined me for all other men as he promised he would do years ago, and now he's left me. Suddenly, I just remember mentally checking out.

I start to open my eyes, but I'm not in my apartment nor am I in the penthouse. I think I'm in Bobby's apartment. I hear the guys talking.

"She's in shock. I think I may need to medicate her to get her through the funeral." Bobby said.

"I can't believe he's gone. He was so happy to finally have Stephanie. He told me on the way to the airport that he proposed and couldn't wait to return to marry her. He wished he would have gotten his head out of his ass years ago." Tank replied.

"But what is she going to do. I don't see her working here for much longer. I don't know if I can stay here. She was practically living with him and working with him. Every place in the building is going to remind her of Ranger and the life she'll never have." Lester said.

"If she wants to work for the company, we can transfer her to one of the other offices where his ghost won't be felt. But, if she chooses to leave, we will support her and offer her whatever she needs to help her move on with her life." Tank announced.

Bobby looks at me and sees that I'm awake, and once again, I'm crying. "Hey Bomber, are you hungry?"

"No. I'm exhausted. Please tell me this is a nightmare. Please tell me that Ranger is coming home to me so we can get married."

"I'm sorry Bomber, but this isn't a dream, but it is a nightmare."

"I think I'm going to be sick." Bobby puts a bucket by me and proceed to throw up. He helps me to the bathroom where I brush my teeth and rinse my mouth. "What time is the funeral? Is he being waked?"

"No wake. He didn't want that. There will be funeral mass and then the burial and that's it. He's getting full military honors, which will make him proud. Mass is at 9, burial at 10." Tank says.

"I need to go buy something for tomorrow. Nothing I own will work."

"I'll take you wherever you want to go." Lester says.

"Then let's go to Macys."

We arrive at Macys and I go directly to the dress department. I'm looking for a black dress that is classy, but a little sexy. If Ranger is looking down, I want him to appreciate what he is seeing. I find a dress with a high round neck and three-quarter sleeves. It has an empire waist and ends at my knees. I get a pair of two-inch black heels. The dress is appropriate for a funeral, but also makes me feel worthy of being Ranger's fiancé. I make my purchase and I return to Rangeman. I go up to the penthouse and spend the night in Ranger's bed remember all the times we were together, all the time he held me in his arms and comforted me, and told me he was proud of me. I held his pillow in my arms, imagining that my arms were wrapped around his body. I wore one of his t-shirts to bed and had a very restless sleep. At six o'clock, I got up to get ready. I had a cup of coffee and took a shower using his Bulgari shower gel. The smell of the gel reminded me of all the showers we took together, doing more than just washing each other. I couldn't help but cry knowing that I will never have him again.

I get out and get dressed. I wore my hair down, even though it wasn't cooperating. Ranger always said he loved my crazy curls, and loved my hair down, so I wore it that way for him. I didn't bother with make-up, it was only going to be washed away by my tears. At 8:15, there was a knock on my door. I look out and see Bobby. "Are you ready to do, Bomber?"

"Yes." No. I wasn't but I had to go. It took me a moment to recognize Bobby because he was in his dress uniform. In my mind's eye I saw Ranger standing there when he said good bye to me in his dress uniform. The tears started again. Bobby put his arms around me and help me, letting me lose my composure and providing me with strength to face today. When we made it to the garage, I saw most of the Merry Men in their dress uniforms. I knew most were service men, but I never realized how many were still active. Tank held the door to Ranger's Turbo open for me, and I realized that this was part of Ranger's plan. As I sat in the seat, I remembered the day that I made love to him in this car, with the door open and one leg outside the car. I smiled at that memory. Tank was driving. We arrived at the church first, and I realized this was to give me a chance to say goodbye without everyone seeing me. I walked to his coffin and placed my body over where his head would be and spoke to him. "Ranger, why did you leave me. Why did you not come home to me? What am I going to do without my heart? How will I ever love again now that my heart is broken in a million pieces? I will love you forever. Please give me strength to go on, because right now, I don't know if I can, I don't want to face a future without my Batman."

I heard someone behind me. It was Joe. Joe and I broke up about two months before Ranger and I got together. We finally realized we didn't love each other and were actually better off as friends. We would talk at least once a week, usually over the phone or in the cop shop if we bumped into each other. Joe was dating a nice teacher and he was planning on proposing to her. I was happy for him and for Laura, because she was everything he wanted and I can't be. And now, he's here for me. "Are you okay, Cupcake?"

I look at him with my red, swollen eyes and tear stained face and answer truthfully, "No, I'm not okay. I don't know what to do. I don't know if I can or want to go on. He was my life, and now he's gone."

Joe wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. He kissed my forehead. "Stephanie, you are such a wonderful, caring person. You should go on to find a way to honor Ranger's memory and his legacy. You can't give up, or he would have died for nothing. He did what he did because he believe in making the world a safer place, and you must continue doing that, whether you stay here in Trenton or move away, but you can't give up. I won't let you."

At that moment, Ranger's family arrived. They walked over to me and hugged me, pulling me into their grief and their family. His mother said to me, "Mi hija, thank you for giving my son back his light. He finally became the man I knew he could be once he met you. Don't be a stranger. You are part of our family, you are a Manoso."

We waited for everyone else to arrive before we followed the casket down the aisle of the church. Tank, Bobby, Lester, Cal, Hal, and Vince were the pall bearers, all dressed in the perfect uniforms. The flag was draped over the coffin. After the mass, the coffin was carried out and loaded into the hearse for the short trip to the cemetery. Hector was by myside throughout, being my shoulder to cry on and my rock. I had asked to be last one to leave so I could have a few final moments alone with my Ranger. Once everyone left, Hector walked away to give me some privacy. "Ranger, I am so mad at you. Why did you leave me behind? I have some many things I wish I had said to you that I never will get to say. Over these last few months I've been thinking about what it would be like to be a mother, and to have our child. Your child. To be able to keep a piece of you alive, and now that will never happen. Yes, Julie is still alive and she is your daughter, but I have nothing of you. I have your dog tags, which I will wear until the day I die and I have your engagement ring. I will also wear that until the day I die. If I ever fall in love again, I'll move it to chain with your dog tags to keep it close to my heart, but it will always be worn. I wish we had one more night together. One more time to make love with each other. I wish I could feel your arms around me again. I don't think I'm going to stay here in Trenton. There are too many memories of you everywhere I turn. I don't fit in here, and never will and never did, but when I was with you, it didn't bother me. Now, I need to find a place where I belong. Please help to guide me and send me a sign, something that I will know it's you, so that I know that I'm on the right path. Just know that you held my heart since the first day that we met. I love you." I drop my rose on his coffin and turn to walk to Hector. He puts his arm around me and picks me up. He carries me to the car and takes me to Rangeman for the reading of Ranger's will.

I can't believe that Ranger left me a 10% share of Rangeman, his two Porsches, and two million dollars. I don't want Rangeman, but according to his will I can't sell my share until ten years have passed or until I get married, whichever comes first. I don't have to sell at those times, but that is when I could sell. I understand why he did it. He wanted to make sure that I could support myself without having to worry about working, that I could do a job I love for shit money instead of forcing myself to do something I hate for good money. Apparently, the other partners in Trenton, Tank, Bobby, and Lester, knew about it and approved of it. They said I could stay on in Trenton, but I decided on the day of the funeral that I was leaving Trenton behind. They offered to transfer me to Miami or Boston, but I needed a clean break. I decided to move to San Diego, and I am leaving today. It's been two weeks since my world came crashing down around me and I am leaving Trenton with three suitcases. I gave Rex to my Merry Men, because I didn't want to fly him to California. I packed only my clothes, some pictures, and five of Ranger's t-shirts and two hoodies. I returned to the penthouse on the day of the funeral and spent one last night there, saying goodbye to the man I will never see again. I couldn't bear to clean out his apartment, so I left that job to his family. My Merry Men offered to come with me to help me until I got settled, but I couldn't take them up on that offer. They remind me too much of Ranger. Joe has agreed to help me and is flying with me to California.

My mother is pissed off at me and thinks I'm being stupid, but my dad, sister, and grandmother support me and understand why I need to start over. They just wish it wasn't so far away. Joe's girlfriend has been very understanding and trusting. I don't know if I would let my boyfriend go to another state to help his ex-girlfriend get settled. Maybe she's just happy that I'll be out of the picture permanently.

Joe and I arrive in California and check into a hotel, two separate rooms, mind you. The next day, I begin my search for an apartment. We go together looking for a safe place to stay. Joe knows how many people have broken into my old apartment and want to make sure that my new one will be more secure. On day four, we find a furnished two-bedroom apartment in a nice building with a doorman. I love it and Joe approves of the safety of the building. He suggests I ask Tank to find someone to set up security on my apartment like what Rangeman does. I decide to go with Joe's advice. Two weeks later, I have a job as a researcher for a good-sized law firm that specializes personal injury cases. I will be traveling to meet with clients as well as working behind a desk. It is a casual office and pantyhose are not required. After I finish my first week at the law firm, Joe leaves to return to Trenton.

Six months after leaving Trenton I have settled into my new life in San Diego. I still think of Ranger every day, but I don't cry as often. I don't use the Bulgari as much as I used to, I save it for the days when I feel his loss more strongly. I have met three great girlfriends out here, who keep asking me about my fiancé, since I'm still wearing my engagement ring. I haven't shared Ranger with time, though, because I want to keep him to myself. I have a picture of us on my nightstand, so I see him every morning when I wake up and every night before I go to bed. I keep another picture in my desk drawer from one of my distractions. Kim, Susan, and Kelly have become my California MaryLou, Lula and Connie. We are partners in crime and go out every Friday and Saturday night. We are all in our thirties and single. This particular Friday we are at a hot new club. Kim and Kelly are flirts and always have a great time dancing with lots of different guys. Susan and I tend to hang out and talk and watch the crowd. However, this night, we have a group of four guys who are hounding us. The guys are good looking, California surfer types with blond hair and buff bodies, but they don't come close to Joe or Ranger. I'm not interested in any of them beyond a friendship, but this one guy, Marc, isn't getting the point. I excuse myself to go to the bathroom and when I come out, he's waiting for me.

"Hey Sunshine, why don't you come and dance with me."

"No, thank you. I'm not much of a dancer, and I am not interested in a relationship right now." I answer politely.

"Sunshine, come on, just one dance." Ugh, what is it with guys and nicknames. Cupcake, Sunshine, Bomber, Beautiful…Babe.

"No, thank you." I start to walk back towards the group when he goes to grab my arm. Suddenly, I hear a familiar voice, "Hey Beautiful, what are you doing in a place like this."

I turn my head and see Lester standing ten feet in front of me. I don't even think but react. I run to him and throw my arms around his neck and give him a big hug. "Lester, what are you doing in San Diego, checking up on me?"

"Yes and no. Cal, Hal, and I came out here to pick up an FTA in L.A. After we got him, I couldn't leave California without seeing you. We miss you, Beautiful. Even though you e-mail and tell us you're alright, I wanted to see you for myself." He takes my hands and feels the ring on my finger and looks at my neck to see that chain from the dog tags. "You're still wearing them, huh?"

"Always, Lester, always."

With this, Marc comes over and tries to be all macho. "Excuse me, but I saw her first and she's with me tonight."

"Beautiful, do you want me to take care of him for you?"

"No, Lester, it's okay. I got it." I give him a kiss on the cheek before turning to Marc. "Marc, as I already told you, I'm not interested. This is Lester, he is my business partner and the cousin of my fiancé. He's here to look out for me while my fiancé is away. So, I am not interested, but thank you for your offer. Oh, by the way, we own the premier security firm in Trenton, NJ and know how to hide bodies without leaving any evidence behind."

Marc paled and walked away. Lester laughed. "You never fail to amaze me. Now, who are you here with?"

"My best friends. Come, I'll introduce you, only, I want to warn you, they don't know about Ranger. I haven't told anyone out here. I avoid all questions about him. I'm not ready to share that part of my life with my new friends yet."

"Your secret is safe with me."

"Where are you staying?"

"I'll find a hotel."

"No, come home with me and stay in my apartment. I have a guest room. It'll be nice to have a familiar face around, especially tomorrow." Tomorrow is Ranger's birthday. It suddenly hits me that Lester came here to be with me because he knew that it will be a difficult day for me. "Thank you for coming, you didn't have to come."

"Yes, I did. For me as much as for you, Beautiful."

I walk him over to my friends and introduce him to Kim, Kelly and Susan. He immediately goes into flirt mode and then starts to tell stories about me from NJ and my history as a rather inept Bond Enforcement Agent or bounty hunter. Pretty soon the guys who were trying to hook up with us left, much to my relief.

"The best was, this one time, my Boss and cousin, gave Stephanie a new midnight-black Porsche Boxster. She goes to speak to this guy at a garbage disposal business when Porsche blows up and a garbage truck lands on top of it. We thought that the Boss was going to kill her, but instead, when he got there, he told her that cars are easy to come by and people are harder to replace and asks her if she's okay then takes her to dinner. It was like he was replaced by an alien."

As Lester was telling the story I started to think about him, about Ranger, and how even then I knew I wanted him, that I had feelings for him. Looking back, it was obvious he had them for me as well, though we were too fucking stubborn to admit it. I feel the tears starting to move into my eyes. Lester glances at me and realizes what he did. He quickly changes to the story of when Hal fainted when my sister gave birth. Halosaurus, the fainter. This got a smile from me, but my night was done. Though it was still early, I said goodnight to my girlfriends. They asked if I was still on for tomorrow night but I declined. I told them that Lester and I had some catching up to do and I would see them on Monday. When we got outside, Lester took me to his rental. "I'm sorry Beautiful, I didn't mean to bring him up. I didn't want to ruin your night."

"It's okay. I've been thinking about him a lot this week. To think, tomorrow he would have been 35. God, Lester, we have so many years ahead of us, and now I'll never know what could have been." I can't talk right now so we get in his car and put on the radio. A song comes on that I haven't heard before and I start to listen to the words.

 _It was two weeks after the day she turned eighteen_

 _All dressed in white, going to the church that night._

 _She has his box of letters in her passenger seat_

 _Sixpence in her shoe_

 _Something borrowed, something blue_

 _When the church doors open up wide_

 _She put her veil down, trying to hide the tears,_

 _Oh, she just couldn't believe it._

 _She heard the trumpet from the military band_

 _And the flowers, fell out of her hands_

 _Baby why'd you leave me_

 _Why'd you have go_

 _I was counting on forever, now I'll never know_

 _I can't even breathe_

 _It's like I'm looking from a distance,_

 _Standing in the background_

 _Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now._

 _This can't be happening to me_

 _This is just a dream_

 _The preacher man said let us bow our heads and pray_

 _Lord please lift his soul and heal this hurt_

 _Then the congregation all stood up_

 _And sang the saddest song that she ever heard_

 _Then they handed her a folded-up flag_

 _And she held on to all she had left of him_

 _Oh, and what could have been_

 _And then the guns rang one last shot_

 _And it felt like a bullet in her heart._

 _Baby why'd you leave me_

 _Why'd you have go_

 _I was counting on forever, now I'll never know_

 _I can't even breathe_

 _It's like I'm looking from a distance,_

 _Standing in the background_

 _Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now._

 _This can't be happening to me_

 _This is just a dream_

 _Baby, why'd you leave me, why'd you have to go_

 _I was counting on forever, now I'll never know_

 _Oh, I'll never know_

 _It's like I'm looking from a distance,_

 _Standing in the background_

 _Everybody's saying, he's not coming home now,_

 _This can't be happening to me_

 _This is just a dream_

 _Oh, this is just a dream_

 _Just a dream (yeah, yeah)_

Just a Dream recording by Carrie Underwood

By the end of the song I was sobbing uncontrollably and Lester had pulled over. When he heard me start to cry he started to listen to the lyrics as well and was crying along with me. It was like a sign from Ranger tell me that he still loved me. We sat on the side of the road, holding each other, for an hour before we finally continued to my apartment.

It's been two years since Ranger died and I still miss him tremendously. I told my friends about him on the anniversary of his death, when I arrive at work an hour late with puffy eyes and bags under them that could carry a car. They finally understood why I never flirted with any of the men who tried to flirt with me and why I wore the engagement ring of a man that I hadn't seen in over a year and half. After that day, I put his picture on my desk at work, which made it easier for me to remember without being so sad. Morelli came to visit me a month ago, and told me that his wife, Laura, was expecting their first child. Joe wants me to be the child's Godmother. I can't say no to him, so I agree. He told me that Vinnie sold the bond office to Rangeman and that they were doing well with end of the business. Joe didn't know about my partnership in Rangeman. I only told him about the two million Ranger left me. Lester, Tank, Bobby or Hector visit me once a month, under the guise of updating me on our business, but it's really to make sure that I'm okay. Even though I can talk about Ranger to my girls, it's different when I can share the memories of the man I love with other who love him as well. I haven't returned to Trenton, and have no desire to. I am getting ready to leave work when I get a call from security that I have a visitor. I'm not expecting anyone, so I ask who it is. The guard tells me it's someone named Santos. Lester. What's he doing here. It's Bobby's turn to come next week. I'm so confused. I go downstairs to meet Lester and he has that same expression on his face that he had when he came to tell me that Ranger was dead. This wasn't going to be good news.

"Hi Beautiful. Is there a private place we can talk?" He asks me.

"Yeah, my office. Follow me."

I bring Lester to my office and I close my door. He sits in my chair and pulls me onto his lap. "What's wrong, Lester?"

"Stephanie, your mother and grandmother were in a car accident. A drunk driver slammed into them when they were waiting at the light by Tasty Pastry and pushed their car into the intersection where they were t-boned by a tractor trailer. They didn't make it. Your sister is medicated and unable to function. Your father is alone and holding on, but he needs you. I know you don't want to go back to Trenton, but no one is capable to handling the arrangements. I will fly with you home, and when you want to come back here, I'll come back with you and stay with you for a few weeks until you're settled."

I'm numb. I don't know what to say or think. My relationship with my mom deteriorated beyond repair when Ranger died. She wanted me to stay in the Burg, marry and turn into her and my sister. When I went against her wishes and came out to San Diego, she stopped talking to me. I haven't spoken to her in two years. My grandmother and I spoke at least twice a week, but we weren't as close anymore. Our conversations were more superficial and fluff. Valerie rarely calls, and doesn't understand why I don't want her life. Albert is still doing well working for Rangeman, so she has a good life finally. My dad and I talk almost every day. It turns out he was a Ranger in his day, but never signed on beyond his tour of duty. He told me a lot about the things that Ranger probably did on his missions and he understood why I needed to leave Trenton. I have never been closer to him, and I will go home to help my father. I turn to Lester, "How soon can we leave for Trenton?"

"I can have plane ready in an hour."

"Make it an hour and a half. We'll grab a bite to eat, pack a couple of bags, and be on our way the NJ in ninety minutes." We go back to my apartment. I call Susan to empty out my fridge of perishables and I tell her I'm not sure when I'll be back. She said she'll take care of everything and will hold my mail for me as well. I told my bosses what happen and they told me to take as much time as I needed. Ninety minutes later we were on our way to Trenton. Nothing could have prepared me for how my life was going to change again.

 **Author's Note:** This story just came to me while writing a different story. I had to get it out. It will remain a one shot until I have a chance to develop it further once I finish my current story, Changing Seasons. I promise I won't leave it unfinished. I may work on the two stories together, but I'm not yet sure. Please send your reviews if you want me to continue this story.


	2. Waking Up

**The characters belong to JE, the stories are mine, with some borrowing from cannon for authenticity.**

Chapter 2—Waking Up

Lester and I arrived back home in Trenton close to midnight. I was starving, so we hit a diner. He offered to let me stay in his apartment at Rangeman for the night, so I could go to my dad in the morning. As much as I didn't want to go back to Haywood, I didn't feel like finding a hotel room so I took him up on his offer. He got me into the building and we went straight to his room. He told me he jammed the cameras so no one would hassle me. It felt weird being back here after two years, yet it still felt as if Ranger would walk into the room at any moment.

"You okay, Beautiful?"

"Ranger's ghost is stronger here. I feel like he will come through that door in a moment and say 'Babe' like he always did. I can almost feel his arms wrapping around me. I haven't felt him this strongly in a long time. Damn, Lester, I am still incredibly in love with him and miss him more than I can explain. My heart has healed, but it will forever be broken."

Lester came to me and pulled me into a hug. He had a strong hug and it reminded me of Ranger. He wasn't a built as Ranger, but he had a familiarity to Ranger. Of all of the Merry Men who came to visit me, I felt most connected to Lester. Maybe because he is such a hopeless flirt or because of that moment we shared on Ranger's birthday, when we both cried our eyes out in the rental car listening to that song. That song. The first thing I did was download it, and it has become my anthem. Whenever I want to wallow in self-pity, I play that song and I can think of Ranger and cry, blaming it on the lyrics and not my fragile emotional state. Lester kisses me on my forehead, then my nose, and then my lips. What started off as a friendly, brotherly kiss quickly turned into something more. I didn't realize that I did it, but I had opened my mouth to him and we were kissing with our tongues. It felt good to be close to man again, in a physical sense, not just an emotional one. We pulled apart and looked at each other, not quite sure that the other was thinking and trying to figure out if it was a mistake to go further. I had long since accepted that Ranger was gone from my life, but that didn't mean that I had to stop living. I was tired of the one person orgasm, the pleasure by means of my shower massager or Herbie Horsecock. I wanted a man, one who I knew wouldn't hurt me. One who I knew was a good guy and who would understand my emotional hang ups. I reached my arms around his neck and pulled him towards me into another kiss. This time, all bets were off.

Lester was a different lover than Ranger and Morelli. Morelli was playful, but always had to be in control, which didn't always mean that I was satisfied fully. Ranger was a Cuban Sex God, a magician, who knew how to make my body react from the first time we were together. Lester is a combination of both of them. Taking the best of both of my last lovers and melding it into a pretty good package.

He made a point of playfully undressing me, tickling me while exposing areas of my skin. Following it up with kisses and licks. He removes my bra and gentle nips my nipples. He plays with my breasts and he is arousing me. He continues to move on top of me to kiss my mouth. "Beautiful, I have fantasized about having you under me in my bed for years, never imagining that it would ever happen. You are so beautiful, on the inside and out. He goes back to kissing me, and then trails kisses down my neck, by breasts, and my stomach. He French kisses my belly button before moving to my center. He licks my core from the bottom to top, and takes hold of my clit with his teeth. Be brings me to an orgasm with his mouth and begins to kiss my body reversing his initial path. Finally, he's back to my mouth. He reaches over to his bedside table and opens the top drawer, pulling out a set of condoms. He opens up a package and puts it on. He's fairly impressive in size. He's about as long as Ranger was, but not quite as wide. He was bigger than Joe. He used my juices to lubricate his cock before gently entering inside me. He moved in and out, varying speed and pressure. He would tease my breast and tease my clit with is hand, bringing me to the brink from allowing me to come back down. Finally, we both had enough and we came together. After, he leaned into me and continued to kiss my mouth and my face. Finally, Lester rolled onto his back and pulled me on top of him. He pulled up the covers and rubbed my back as we feel asleep.

I woke up the next morning feeling better than I had in a long time, I can't remember the last time I slept that deeply. I was up for a few minutes before Lester woke up. "Good morning, Beautiful. Last night was amazing, Stephanie. Thank you for allowing me to make love to you."

"It was pretty good. It's been so long since I've been with anyone, I wasn't sure I wanted it with someone, but it feels right with you. I haven't even kissed anyone since…" I trailed off.

"Really, no one since?"

"No. I'm pathetic."

"No, you're not, Stephanie. You were dealt a horrible hand in the game of life." Lester paused, then he continued, "Stephanie, since I met you, I have been entranced by you. You became my ideal. No woman could compare to you, to your beauty, to your heart, to your soul. I haven't been with a woman in three years. No one could compare to you in my mind. Having you here, is a dream. I just wish that I didn't feel guilty."

"Why do you feel guilty?"

"Because Ranger was my cousin, he was my idol. I looked up to the man my whole life. He was who I wanted to be, and you were his woman. From the moment he met you, he claimed you as his. None of us ever stood a chance next to him. God, I spend so many days on the mats with Ranger just because I would look at you too long or he could see my mentally undressing you during a distraction. He knew I lusted after you, and he made it known that he would kill me if I ever made a move. Now, he's dead and I have his woman in my bed. I've betrayed the man who meant more to me than my own father."

"Lester, don't you think Ranger would be happy to see that we've moved on and are living our lives. I haven't felt this alive since that day that I found out he was gone. We can't feel guilty for living and loving if it makes us happy. And being here, in your arms and in your bed, makes me happier than I've been in the last two years. I looked forward to your visits the most. And the last few times, I've considered coming into your room at night. But I didn't think you felt the same way."

"You really are okay with this, Beautiful?"

"Yes, Lester, I am." With that, we kissed and everything was better after another couple of rounds that morning, ending with a shower for two. We sat down and had breakfast which consisted of sugary cereal and coffee. At least with Lester I could eat a donut without feeling guilty. Before I go to see my dad, I want to visit Ranger. I need to talk to him. Lester scrambles the feed so I can leave unobserved and he gives me the keys to Ranger's Cayenne, which is still technically my car.

I arrive at the cemetery and sit down in front of the headstone. It had his name, Rank, service years, and dates of birth and death listed, along with "Beloved Father, Son, Brother, Boss and Friend. Forever Batman." I sit for a few minutes a let out some tears before starting to talk to him. "Hey Ranger. It's been a while since I came to see you, though you are always in my thoughts and in my heart. My mom and Grandma Mazur are somewhere on your side now, so watch for Grandma's roving hands. I've been living in San Diego, but I think it's time for me to come home to Trenton for good. My dad needs me. He and I have become very close since your death and he is very much like you in the way he feels. He never knew about Joe and his garage or about Tasty Pastry, otherwise he would have killed Joe. He's glad I moved on from him, but he's still hoping that I find a partner. Last night Lester and I made love. I wasn't expecting it to happen, but I have been feeling attract to him for a while. I hope you aren't mad at him and that you don't mind. I know that Lester will look out for me and will protect me like you always tried to do. He misses you too, that helps us both out. I don't know if this will turn into a serious relationship or if it will just be a fling, but it's nice to feel alive again. He can never compare to you, because you have ruined me, but he's pretty damn close. I promise to visit more often now that I'm back home, and I still love you and I'm still wearing your ring and dog tags. Please make sure that when my time comes, it's you who meets me, and I hope when that day comes, you can say that you're proud of me for what I made of my life. I love you and miss you every day. See you later, Batman."

It was now nearing eleven, and I needed to go to my dad. I drive to my childhood home and let myself in. Dad is sitting in his chair, and is so happy to see me. "Pumpkin, when did you get in? I would've picked you up."

"I got in late last night. Lester came to tell me the news in person and he escorted me home. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing better now that you're home. I love Val, but she is too much like your mother, too nitpicky. I need someone who isn't so serious all the time."

"Well, I'm home for good. I decided that this morning."

"That Lester is a nice young man. He's been stopping by here at least once a week since you left to make sure we were okay. Your mom didn't like, what else is new, but we became friends. I hope that maybe someday you'll find someone to grow old with. It's not good to be alone."

"Yeah, dad, Lester is a good friend, and maybe more. I'm not sure yet. I have to see what the cards have in store for me."

"Are you ready to get this show going?"

"Yes, dad, I'm ready to make the arrangements."

"Good, because Valerie is useless right now."

We go down to Stiva's and make all the arrangements. Everything is set for tomorrow and Saturday. "Are you going to stay here?"

"I don't think so, dad. I don't want to be here. Maybe you should consider moving into a smaller home."

"I think you're right. You never belonged here, never fit in. Go stay with you beau and I'll be good here. Just make sure you come here tomorrow by ten, okay Pumpkin."

"Okay dad."

I leave my dad and drive back to Rangeman. By now, I'm sure everyone knows I'm back, but I need a job. Well, I really don't _need_ the job but it's time to start making money for my company. After all, I do have a ten percent share. I take the elevator to five and before I can step off I'm surrounded by my Merry Men. After ten minutes, I've finally said hello to everyone and head to Ranger's old office, which is now Tank's office. Lester has moved up to second in command, so he has Tank's old office. Bobby uses his office in the infirmary, and Lester's office is left vacant. I'm about to go in when Cal says, "There's a core team meeting going on, you can't barge in there."

"It's okay Cal. They won't mind."

I open the door and it looks like Tank is going to explode until he sees it's me. "Hey baby girl, why have you waited so long to come and see us?"

Tank gets up and give me a big hug followed by Bobby. Lester and I acknowledge each other with a nod. "Oh no, you two hooked up?" Bobby said.

We both tried to look innocent, but it didn't work. Finally Lester said "Yes, but we're not saying anything to any one yet, especially not here."

"I've decided I'm not going back to California. My dad needs me here, and I want to be here. I need a job and a place to live."

"Stephanie, you know that you don't actually need to work. Your draw a salary simply by owning Rangeman."

"I know that, but I need to start working so I don't go crazy. I don't want to chase skips anymore. I don't mind working in an office as long as I have opportunities to go out and meeting the people occasionally. I can go back to doing searches or you can find me something else to do."

"Sit down, Steph, let's figure this out." Tank replies. "You have a lot of skills that we all lack. While Lester is the most outgoing of us, he's not great on sales calls. I'm too much business and I'm not good at finessing and charming clients like Ranger could. Bobby is too busy with the infirmary. If we teach some aspects of the company, would you be willing to 'wine and dine' our current and potential clients?"

"Yes, I think I could do that, and I would love to try."

"How are you with paperwork, like schedules and payroll?"

"I used to handle a budget and purchase orders when I worked with EE Martin. Believe it or not, I'm pretty good with money when I have money, that is."

The three guys look at each other and then look at me. Tank speaks for them all when he says, "Okay, Stephanie, here it is. You will take care of schedules, payrolls, and reimbursements and you will start taking sales calls and meetings with me. Eventually, you will take that part over as well. We want you to oversee all searches, and let us know if anything is missing. Once you get used to your position, you won't have time to do them on your own, but your instinct is invaluable. You can have Lester's old office. We were holding it for you hoping that you would eventually come home."

"That sounds great. I'll start today, at least with getting my office set up. Now about a place to live."

"Steph, I'll help you in your office. Let's go there." Lester says.

"Wait, if the meeting isn't over, I'll stay here and we can finish it."

"Actually, Steph, we were talking about how we were going to entice you to stay here, but we didn't need to worry about that." Bobby said.

"We'll let the guys know Monday that you are back and one of the core team. Just as a warning, you will need to earn their respect as their boss and will need to be assertive if something isn't done properly or someone is abusing their privileges. They will test you, especially the new guys. Many of them aren't used to taking orders from a woman, let alone Ranger's woman. And yes, they still think of you as Ranger's woman. If this thing between you and Lester grows, it will take them some time to get used to you being with anyone other than Ranger."

"I get it. Is it okay if I come to you guys for advice before acting?"

"Of course, Bomber. We're a team, the core team. We will always have your back." Bobby says.

With that, Lester and I leave Tank's office. I hear Bobby say to Tank as we close the door behind us, "That combination is trouble."

When we arrive at Lester's former office, he unlocks it and holds the door open for me to walk past him. He lets the door close behind him and then puts his arms around by waist and pulls my back up against his front. "I'm glad you're staying. I was considering moving to San Diego. I refuse to make the same mistake my cousin did. I'm not going to let you get away from me." I lean into him and calm at the feeling of his masculinity.

"So, do you like your new office, Beautiful?"

"Yes, I do. It has a window."

"You know, maybe one night we can make another one of my fantasies come true." He whispers in my ear and then kisses me on my neck right below my ear. How does he know just where to kiss me to make me melt? What give do those Manoso men have?

"How exactly are you and Ranger related?"

"My grandmother and his grandfather are siblings. We related on my father's side."

"So, you're related on the Manoso side?"

"Yes, Steph." Lester takes my left hand and sits down on the chair. He pulls me into his lap. Then, he looks at my hand. He brings is other hand up and takes the dog tags out from under my shirt. "You moved the ring off?"

"Yes. It's time that I let go of Ranger and allow myself to love someone and be loved in return. I don't want to grow old alone. I want someone by myside. I'm going to be 36 in a couple of weeks, and giving my current relationship status, I'll probably never have kids, so I won't have no one if I don't allow myself to live my life."

"You want kids, Beautiful?"

"I was considering it. When Ranger was gone, before we found out, I was serious considering having a child with him. It felt right to me. I don't know if he wanted another child, we never had a chance to talk about it. I regret so many things, like not getting our act together years ago and not bringing up the possibility of being parents together, but then I think that it was a blessing that we never conceived before he left, because then our child would have never met his or her father and I would be left raising a kid on my own. I've been talking to Julie two to three times a week since that day, and I feel comfort knowing that piece of Ranger is alive in that wonderful girl. And someday, she'll hopefully have children of her own and he will continue to live on."

"I'm not opposed to having children, Stephanie, if you still want them. Even if it doesn't work out between us, I will give you child if you want. I will support you and that child always. We don't need to talk about this or think about it now, we just need to figure out if we can be together without Ranger's ghost coming between us."

"He won't bother me. I spoke to him today and I think he's okay with us. I felt much more at peace about us when I left the cemetery, which is why today, for the first time since he put it on my finger, I took the ring off and placed it on my chain. As long as you can live with sharing my heart with Ranger, we are good to try out a relationship."

"Okay then. Now, about your living arrangements, I have a house, Stephanie. I just keep the apartment here so I'm on site if something goes down. But with Tank now back on site, I really don't need to stay here."

"Tank's living on four?"

"No."

"Oh. The penthouse."

"Yes. He just moved in a couple of weeks ago. We remodeled it a little, had to clear out the memories. But it is now Tank's apartment."

I close my eyes and rest my head on Lester's shoulder. I think about the time when I discovered his apartment and snuck in like Goldilocks. I think about all the times I lived here with Ranger, sleeping next to Ranger but not with Ranger. I think about all the places where we made love to each other, and the place where we said goodbye for the final time. I few tears escape my eyes. "I'm sorry, Lester, I don't mean to keep crying over Ranger, but every time I see a change it's just another reminder that he's really gone."

"I know. It was hard for us, too. His apartment was vacant for over a year before we decided to remodel it."

"Where's your house?"

"About thirty minutes away, right over the Pennsylvania border."

"Can you show it to me?"

"We can go there tonight."

"Okay then. It's a date." I smile and give him a kiss. "Now, let's reorganize this office and see what stuff I need from the supply room."

"Yes Ma'am."

 **Control Room Gossip**

"Wow, I can't believe Bomber's back." Cal says.

"I know. Do you see how she just walked her way into the meeting? I thought for sure she was going to get kicked out." Hal replied.

"But you know, she always could get away with things that we never could." Vince added.

Ram said, "But if Ranger is gone, does that mean she's still off limits? Or is she available for us mortals?"

"I don't think so. It seems she's already moved on with one of the other core team members." Vince replied.

"Who?" Cal demanded.

"Certainly not Tank." Ram replied.

"Don't even say Lester." Hal exclaimed.

Vince replied, "Yes, I think she's with Lester. Didn't you notice that whenever Tank, Bobby or Hector went to visit Stephanie they would only stay there for a long weekend, but Lester was always gone for a least a week? And that when things are busy here and someone can't make it for their turn, he always jumps in? I think he's always had a thing for her, but with Ranger around, none of us stood a chance. But I think now, he's her man."

"They have been in his old office for a while. I wonder what's going on." Ram said.

"Maybe they're getting a little action." Cal said.

"All I know is that we better get back to work because if anyone hears us talking, we'll be on the mats tomorrow morning." Vince said.

 **Tank's POV**

When Lester and Stephanie left, they didn't close the door all the way. It didn't matter to me and Bobby, we were far enough away from the door and close enough to each other that no one could hear us, but we could hear them.

"I don't know if it's such a great idea for Steph and Lester to be together. They both my wind up getting hurt." Bobby said.

"I don't know about that. Lester knows that Stephanie will always love Ranger, that he will always hold a piece of her heart. He's not going into it blind. But he's been in love with her nearly as long as Ranger has. She's the only one who can put up with his bullshit and call him out on it. I mean, think about it, he's been calling her 'Beautiful' since the beginning and she lets him. Anyone else and she would have kicked them in the balls."

"I guess you're right. But when did it happen?"

"When he went to see her in California. Something changed between them after that first visit that Lester made, to be with her for Ranger's birthday. He came back and he was different. He let go of Ranger a little bit himself. You know he took his loss almost as bad as Stephanie. Ranger was everything to Lester, his idol, his image of a man. He followed in Ranger's footsteps always. But both of them made some peace during that visit, because the first time I spoke to her after then, she seemed lighter."

"Well, for both their sakes, I hope it works out for them. Stephanie has been through too much. Is Lester's contract up yet?"

"No. He has two weeks left."

"Fuck."

"I know." Tank replies. "I have a month."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **Stephanie's POV**

Six months later I'm settled back in Trenton. Lester and I have been living together and it's been great. My dad has settled into his new apartment in the local senior complex and is enjoying his life. My sister is doing better, but we have no more relationship. I find out about my nieces through Albert at work. She blames me for mom being miserable and for Grandma bothering her. She said I was selfish and I should have thought about mom and settled down, because it would have made her happy. I'm fine without her, though. I don't need that kind of negativity in my life.

I love my role at Rangeman, and after having to fire two new guys and relegate a third to the monitors for a month, the guys have all accepted me as their boss. I love working with my Merry Men again. It doesn't hurt to be in the building any more. I still see Ranger and me together at different times and in different places, but enough has changed to make those memories sweet ones instead of sad memories. It also helps that Lester and I have a done a good job creating our own memories in the building. We were able to keep our relationship a secret for two months, but then, after a scary takedown that Lester took part in where he was injured, it became clear to everyone just what we meant to each other. Tonight, Lester and I are leaving for vacation in Miami for a week. We will spend a day visiting with Julie, before spending the rest of the week in each other's arms. We take advantage of any time we have together, because we both know how everything can be taken away from us in a heartbeat.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **Tank's POV**

It's been a year since Stephanie returned to New Jersey. She and Lester got engaged a month ago and were planning on getting married on Halloween. I was happy for them. It was easy to see that they loved each other, though I know that there was a part of Stephanie that Lester would never have. She was only able to give him about 45% of her heart, but that was enough for him. Maybe with time, she could give him more of her heart. We are sitting in my office having our weekly core team meeting when my desk phone rings. Everyone knows not to bother us during this meeting, so it better be important. I pick up the phone, "This better be good, Miguel." Miguel replies to me.

"Are you sure?" He says he's sure. Fuck. Now what?

I hang up and there's a knock on the door. Stephanie is sitting on Lester's lap. I look to her neck and see that she is still wearing the dog tags, thank goodness for that. I say "Come on in."

 **Stephanie's POV**

I'm sitting in Lester's lap and thinking about how we made love in my office closet that morning when the door opens up. I look at the person standing in the doorway and jump up. I must be fucking seeing things. What I am seeing doesn't make any sense to me. He's dead. He looks around the office, sees me, smiles, and simply says "Babe." I run over to him and jump in his arms. We kiss each other and I put my head on his shoulder and start to cry. "I thought you were dead. They told us you were gone. Oh, you have no idea how much I missed you." I feel him put his face against my head and I can feel his tears. No one says anything. Everyone is in too much shock. Finally, Tank recovers "Ranger, what the fuck happened? Where have you been for the last three years?"

Ranger puts me down and I look at Lester. I see the pain in his eyes and I feel my heart breaking. I'm torn right now between the man who I have loved for six years and the man I love enough to want to grow old. But I know, in my heart of hearts, that I am in love with Ranger still and I cannot be with Lester if he is back. But I don't know how to proceed from here.

"Wait, Ranger, before you say anything else, we need to talk, privately."

"Babe."

"Tank, Lester, Bobby, do you mind?"

Tank and Bobby get up. Tank gives Ranger a hug, then Bobby follows. Lester stays in his seat. "Lester, please?"

"No, Beautiful. I need to be here. I want to hear what you have to say." I hear the hurt in his voice and see the pain in his eyes. Ranger notices it as well. He looks down at my left hand and sees a different ring on my finger and looks from me to Lester and back to me. I pull the chain out of my shirt to show him his dog tags with his ring resting against my heart. He sits in Tank's chair and I'm standing in the middle of the room.

"How long did it take for you to make your move on Stephanie, Santos?"

"Two years."

"So this means that after dating less than a year, you're ready to marry her."

"Yes, _Carlos_. I love her. I always have. You were right about that."

"And what about you, Babe, or do you prefer to be called 'Beautiful' now."

"Ranger, why are you trying to hurt me? You have no idea the hell I went through. I'm sure it nothing compared to what happened to you, but it wasn't easy on me or anyone else who love you. Bobby had to sedate me when they told me you had died. I felt like my life was over, like I would never live again. I didn't want to live. After your funeral, I came back here and spent one last night in the penthouse. I was contemplating suicide. But I knew you wouldn't want me to end my life just because yours was over. I left Trenton for two years. I moved to San Diego and worked for a law firm doing searches. On the eve of your 34th birthday, Lester came to see me. We spend the weekend remember you and I started to heal. I didn't tell anyone about you when I moved to California. I couldn't talk about you to anyone. I felt that if I didn't tell anyone, then it wouldn't be real. Slowly I started to cope with the fact that I was never going to see you again. Then, when Lester came to tell me that my mother and grandmother died, we came back to Trenton together. It was that night, a year ago, that we realized there was something more between us then just friends. It was the next day that I took your ring off my finger. I didn't want to live with any regrets. I waited too long to tell you how I felt and I lost you. I didn't want to make that same mistake again. If I would have known that you were still alive, I would have waited for you. I still love you. I always will. But I'm going to need some time to figure out what I want now."

I walk over to Lester and I kneel in front of him and take his hands. "Lester, I'm so sorry. You know I never planned on hurting you, but I'm not sure what I want right now. I love you, and this last year together has been wonderful. You helped to bring me back to life. But, you know I still love Ranger. You know I've been wearing two engagement rings for the last few months."

"Yeah, I know, Beautiful." He says as he curls my hair around his finger. "I understand. Just take your time and make sure you are making the right decision. Will I see you at home?" I nod yes. With that, he gives me a kiss before leaving Tank's office.

I walk to Ranger now and sit on the desk in front of him. "I never thought I would see you again. I'm so sorry if I hurt you. I just don't know what to do. I have never stopped loving you, and I have had almost three years of sleepless nights. I still crave your arms around me, your heart beating under my head, you lying in bed next to me. But I had to let you go to live. Do you understand that I will need a little while to figure out what I want now?"

"Babe, the memories of you, knowing that I would come home and see your crazy curls and your beautiful blue eyes are what kept me alive for two years of hell. I was beat, cut, fucked, and burnt, but I never gave up any intel and never stopped loving you. When the pain became unbearable, I would think of your body next to mine, your moans in ear, and me inside your body. When they finally rescued me, I was on death's door. It took me a month to be able to stand and walk to the bathroom. I wanted to call you, but I couldn't until I was debriefed. It was good, though, because I wasn't in a good place mentally. I was suffering for PTSD, and I had it bad. Fortunately, being so injured gave me plenty of time to work with a psychologist and a psychiatrist who have studied PTSD extensively so I am in a much better place. I know you need to sort out your feelings and that you thought I was dead. I don't begrudge you for moving on. I was just surprised that it was with Lester and not Morelli."

"No, Joe married a teacher and he has two kids with her. She's perfect for him. He actually came with me to San Diego and helped me get settled. He helped to find me an apartment in a building with a doorman and helped me get my job. He and I are really good friends now."

"Look, Babe, if you choose to stay with Lester, I'm fine with it. Just let me have one more night with you. I've been dreaming about you for three long years, and I want one more night to hold in my memory to make everything I've been through worth it." I lean into Ranger and I kiss him. Our kiss is passionate and deep and it reminds me of all those nights we had together. I know, in this moment, that my choice is Ranger. I just have to figure out how to let go of Lester without hurting him.

"We should let Tank back in his office. I'm sure the guys want to know what happened. I don't need to know any more than you already told me. I don't want to know any more details. I'll send them back in." Before I could get up, he kisses me again and places the dog tags back under my shirt. "I love you, Babe."

"I love you too."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

 **Author's Note: By popular demand, chapter 2. There will be more, but I'm not sure where I'm going. Keep your reviews coming and let me know where you want the story to go. If you like this, read my other in progress story, Changing Seasons.** **J**


	3. Breaking Hearts

**The characters belong to JE, the stories are mine, with some borrowing from cannon for authenticity. Some mild smut.**

Chapter 3

 **Lester POV**

I walk out of Tank's office and I know deep down in my heart that I have lost Stephanie. There is no way she will choose me over Ranger. Ranger is her hero, her mentor, her best friend, and her Batman. I'm just her Robin, her sidekick. I know I never had 100% of her heart, I was lucky if I had 50%. When we were together and made love, it was a great experience for me, and I know it was for her as well, though I know I didn't live up to my cousin. He's legendary. Three times we shared a lover, three times I had her second, and three times I couldn't out maneuver him. The first two didn't really count. They were just one-night stands, but knowing that I could make Stephanie forget Carlos, well, it hurts.

I walk past Tank and Bobby and go into my office. I wonder if this will still by my office now that Ranger's back. I mean, he will take over Trenton again, and I'll go to being third in command. Not that I mind. It will get me out in the field more, but I will miss my office. And now that Steph has my old office, I don't know where I belong. I sit at my desk and look at the picture of us together from the night when I proposed to her. She looked so beautiful in the light blue dress with the sexy v-neckline and flirty length skirt. I had fun taking it off her that night. But, now that I look at the picture, even though she has a huge smile on her face, it doesn't reach her eyes. Damn it, Santos, you gave your heart to a woman who couldn't give you hers.

Bobby knocks on the door and comes in. He closes the door behind him. "Are you okay, bro?"

"No, three years ago I lost Ranger, who was closer to me than my own brother. Last year, I finally got the woman of my dreams, and now, today, Ranger returns and I lose Stephanie. I so glad that Ranger is okay and that he's home, and I know that Stephanie is happy and excited, but while everyone else is celebrating his life, I'm left trying to pick up the pieces yet again. I won't even have an office."

"Lester, you knew that Stephanie was still in love with Ranger. You knew that she will always love him."

"Yes, Bobby, I knew that. I could live the rest of my life a happy man having part of Stephanie's heart if it meant that she was MINE. I know that she was happy and satisfied with me. I know she was thinking about being a mom. I am more than willing to give her what she wants. I'd give her my child in a heartbeat. Even if she didn't want me anymore, I'd give her that gift. But now I get to watch her with Ranger. Kissing him, holding him, loving him. I'm so jealous. Part of me wants to beat the shit out of Ranger for hurting Stephanie for all those years. Do you know she contemplated killing herself that night of Ranger's funeral? That beautiful, sexy, resilient, strong woman thought about taking her life because Ranger was gone from hers. How can I do this? Do I want to do this? Maybe I just need to get away, go work in Miami for a while. Do what Stephanie did and start over. Look, Bobby, I'm going to head home. I need some down time. If Stephanie is looking for me, not that I think she will, let her know where I am."

"Don't you want to hear what happened?"

"Not today." I get up and walk out of my office and down to the garage. I get in my car and drive home. When I get there, I sit on the porch and remember holding Steph in my arms in cry.

 **Ranger's POV**

Stephanie left Tank's office a moved to a chair on the other side of the desk. Tank and Bobby come back in. Lester is missing. "Where's Santos?"

"He went home. He'll be back tomorrow." Bobby said.

"How serious are they?"

"Very. Stephanie bought her wedding gown two days ago."

"Fuck. I glad that Stephanie moved on and that she moved on with Santos, of all people. I'm not surprised. I knew that Lester always had an attraction to her. Damn it. How could things be so fucked up. I left her. She thought I was dead and had to mourn for me. She had to find the strength to move on with her life and live. And finally, when she is happy again, I have to come back and fuck up her life again. I should just leave and go to Miami. Let her and Lester have their happily ever after. I should give them my blessing. I shouldn't have expected her to wait for me or to stay alone forever. I fucked up all those years telling her that I loved her with qualifications. I could never man up to say that I just loved her. I don't even know if I'm good for her anymore."

"Ranger, you just got home. This is a shock for all of us. It's going to take some time getting used to you being home."

"Listen, I'll tell you what happened then I'm going to talk to Stephanie and Lester. After, I'm going to Miami. I'm going to need to spend some time with Julie. Hopefully, that will give us all time to get through this situation."

"Carlos, running way isn't your style." Tank said.

"I won't be running away, Pierre, I'll be letting go."

I tell them what happened to me during my last mission from hell and spare no details. They are as surprised as I am that I am sitting here in front of them. I tell them about my six months in rehab and how I had to learn how to walk again. I told them that it was thoughts of Stephanie that kept me alive and pushing, which is why I must let her go and give her a chance at happiness.

"Are there any apartments open on four?"

"Yes. 4A is open. It's yours if you need it." Bobby replies.

"I'm going to go talk to Stephanie now. Where's her office?"

"Lester's old office."

I leave Tank's office and walk to Stephanie's. Her door is closed, but I hear her crying inside. I knock on the door and open it, making sure to close it behind me. "Babe, are you okay?"

"Why? Why me? Why did I have to go through the hell of losing you and finally giving you up to have you come back home and fuck with my mind. I know it's not your fault, but I feel like I'm trying to decide between you and Morelli all over again, instead this time, I love both you and Lester, and while I am in love with you, I am also in love with Lester. Damn you Ranger."

"Babe, look, I'm sorry that you went through all that. I never wanted to hurt you. I still don't want to hurt you. But I just came here to let you know I'm leaving for Miami in the morning. I need to spend some time with Julie to help her cope with this. I know she will take it much harder that you. I'm glad that you decided to stop living in the past and in the land of make believe and moved on with your life. And if you had to marry anyone, I'm glad that it's Lester who you chose, because he loves you for you. He will never force you to change. Go home to Lester. He loves you." I put my arms around her and hold her for the last time. I promise myself that after today, I will never step foot in Trenton again. I will stay in Miami and run Rangeman there. Stephanie and Trenton are in capable hands. I take in the scent of Stephanie's strawberry shampoo and etch into memory the way she feels in my arms. I kiss her on her forehead. "Be safe, Babe." I turn and leave her office.

I get into one of the fleet cars and drive to Lester's house. I pull in from 20 minutes later. I see him sitting on the porch. I go up on the porch and sit down next to him.

"Lester, you are closer to me than my own brother is. I love you as my brother, and I am so sorry for all the pain that you all went through. I never wanted this to happen. I am so glad that you could help Stephanie heal and live her life again. I am forever grateful to you for that."

"Is this where you tell me to fuck off so you can have your woman back?"

"No, this is where I ask you if you love Stephanie."

"Yes, with all of my heart."

"Are you in love with Stephanie?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm here to tell you that I'm leaving for Miami in the morning. I'll be staying there and taking care of that branch of Rangeman. It will give me an opportunity to get to know Julie better and to help her through whatever she'd going to be dealing with due to my rebirth. I won't be returning to Trenton. I want you to promise me to take good care of Stephanie for me. Make sure that she's happy and has whatever she wants from her life. If you plan on going to a family event, let me know ahead of time. I don't want to interfere in your relationship. I already told Stephanie that I'm leaving Jersey. I just didn't tell her it was permanent. I'm glad that it's you and not Morelli."

"Ranger, you know that you are going to hurt her again."

"Yes, but sometimes you have to learn to walk away and let go of someone you love so they can be happy. As long as Stephanie is happy, it's the right decision. Santos, make sure she's happy."

I give Lester a one-armed bro hug and get back in my car to return to Haywood for the night.

 **Stephanie's POV**

How could my life have gotten so complicated, again? I don't know what to feel or how to feel anymore. I love my fiancé, I love Lester a lot. He has been here for me whenever I needed him. He has held me on those nights when I needed the comfort, he's laughed with me, and he's dealt with my longing for a man who was dead. Now, I find that man is alive and very much well and in here, in this building. But, he's leaving me again. For Miami. He's not taking me with him. Once again, he's pushing me to someone else. Was I stupid to think that he ever loved me without qualifications? I guess I really was just good for the moment but not good forever. I take off the dog tags and the engagement ring that had become my talisman and my crutch. I take out a piece of paper and write a letter to Ranger.

 _Dearest Ranger,_

 _Three years ago, my world ended and my life became a nightmare. You were dead. I had to come to terms that my Batman, my hero, was gone from this world. It was the hardest thing that I had ever had to deal with. I had so much hope for our future, a future that would include children, our children. I dreamed of us making love morning, noon, and night. I had so many hopes for what my life would have been like with you, Batman. Then that was all gone._

 _I moved away from everyone I knew to California to try and move on with my life. While I did make new friends, and get a new job, my life was not what it should have been because I was missing you. Lester, Tank, Bobby, and Hector visited me regularly, to make sure I was okay and to tell me how our business was doing. It was great seeing them, because with them, I could remember you without hurting so much. Lester was the first to visit, and came to me to help me get through your first birthday gone. We didn't do anything for two and half days except talk about you, cry, and held each other in our arms. After that, the visits started, but Lester came more often and stayed longer than the others. It was the day that I found out that my mother and grandmother died that Lester came to me and once again, my world was shattered._

 _When we came back to Trenton, I realized that I had to stay here for my dad, but also because I didn't want to run away from a man who I started to fall in love with. I learned that life was too short and I didn't want to have regrets. In this business, any one of us could be gone tomorrow. The first night that we were together was the first night that I started to live my life._

 _Don't think I don't still love you, Ranger, because I do. There are so many nights that I wish it was your arms, not Lester's holding me and that it was you making love to me. Lester knows he will never have all my heart, but I have all his heart. He is content to have whatever amount of my heart I'm willing to give him._

 _Ranger, as much as I want to leave with you and go to Miami, I can't do that. I owe it to myself and Lester to move on with life as it was 24 hours ago. I hope you find the strength to move and that you find another woman to love, even love incompletely. Just know, though, that if you ever need me, I'm a phone call away. I love you, Ricardo Carlos Manoso, which is why I should let you go. Please take the ring back. I can't keep wearing the ring of my ex-fiancé. I'll keep your dog tags, if you don't mind, to remind me to live my life to the fullest each day._

 _I will always love you, Batman._

 _With love, Babe_

I take the letter and put it in an envelope. I place that envelope in a larger one and put the ring inside and seal it. I knock on the door to Tank's office and walk in.

"Tank, please give this to Ranger when he come back. Make sure he gets it and tell him to please read it."

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"To Lester?"

"Yes."

Tank shakes his head and I leave. I decided to take the stairs to the garage. When I'm between the second and third floors, I am face to face with Ranger. We stand a moment looking at each other before he says, "Babe."

He leans down and kisses me and I feel warmth flow through my body. I instinctively wrap my arms around his neck and he pulls me into him. It feels so right to be in his arms again. Finally, my brain registers what is happening and I pull away. "I can't do this, Ranger, I can't be with you now and then go home to my fiancé. I can't hurt Lester. I got to go." I scurry around Ranger and run down the rest of the stairs and exit into the garage. I heard him say once more. "I'm sorry Babe."

I get into my car and I drive home, contemplating if I made the right decision. Forty minutes later, I pull up in front of my home, our home. I park my car in the garage and walk on to the porch. It's a cool night, but not cold. I'm not ready to go inside yet, so I sit on the swing. I watch the sunset, the colors fading until the darkness. I feel that the sunset is a good metaphor for my life right not. The love that is and was between Ranger and I is fading and tomorrow, the love that is between Lester and I will again rise. I don't know how long I was sitting outside, but I felt Lester with me for some time. I look up at him and motion for him to sit down next to me. He sits in the corner and puts his right leg up on the seat, and pulls me against him. I rest my head on his chest and he wraps his arms around me. We have spent many nights sitting like this on our porch contemplating life. We rarely need to talk. I start to get cold and shiver a little. "Let's go inside, Beautiful, and have something to eat." We get up and I follow him inside.

"I'm going to take a shower and get changed. Then we need to talk." I kiss Lester and head to the bathroom.

An hour later and return downstairs. Lester is sitting in the den, a bottle of beer in his hand. He is wearing his blank face, the face I can never master. It's so frustrating how my men can all pull up this blank, emotionless face. Joe always could, Ranger was the master, but Lester, well I always knew he had the ability but he rarely showed it to me.

"What do you want to talk about, Beautiful."

"Us. Lester, what do we do now? I mean, we have a wedding date set. We've made plans. I purchased a dress. And now, Ranger returns from the dead. I don't know how to deal with all the emotions in my head and my heart right now. I love you. You have shown me how to live again, you made it possible for me to find happiness. And just when I am getting my feet back under me, they get sweep out from under me and I'm on the ground again. I don't know what to do. I'm conflicted, and I'm afraid that I'm going to make the wrong decision, and in the process, hurt one of the two men who I love and in turn, hurt myself."

"Stephanie, Ranger's return has us all reeling. None of us anticipated this, especially after all of these years. I don't know what to tell you, Beautiful. I can't make up your mind for you. I can tell you that I love you, with all my heart. I have never qualified my love for you. I can provide for you, and I can give you whatever material items you desire. I can give you my love and a child if you want one. I love you for WHO you are, for your stubbornness, for your faith in people, your instincts, your beauty, and most of all, for your sense of humor. You have a love of life which is so addicting. That is what drew me to you. If Ranger didn't identify you as 'his woman' I would have swept you up immediately. I never would have sent you back to the shithead Morelli. I know he's a good friend to you now, and I respect him as such, but he was not the man for you. Stephanie, I love you, but if you can't love me back, if you can't stop thinking about Ranger, then I can't do this. I know when you disappear inside your fantasy world when we're making love. I know you are imagining Ranger's lips on you, his hands on you, and him inside you. God knows I've tried my best to give you everything I have to erase him from your memories. But I don't know if I can overlook it knowing that he is alive. You need to say goodbye to your former life and your former lover from your heart. You need to give _me_ your heart, because I gave you mine a long time ago."

The tears are streaming down my face. I know that I've been hurting Lester, but he's right. I need to let go of Ranger completely. I sit down and look out the window. Can I say good bye to Ranger for good? He's already said good bye to me, but then we had that kiss. That's it, stolen kisses. That's what most of our 'relationship' has been based on, stolen kisses. In an alley, in a car, in a fucking stairwell. Does he really want all me? Or is the only reason why he proposed to me was to make sure that I didn't go back to Joe while he was away. Damn him. It wasn't real. If it was, he would've proposed long before. I know that my decision is made. I think I knew it once I put Ranger's dog tags away in my memory box after the shower. "Lester, it's you I want. It's this life that we've started to build here. I choose you."

Lester practically runs over to me and pulls me against him. We kiss, a deep, passionate kiss like we never had before. Lester reaches down and takes off my tank top and starts to kiss my neck and down to my breasts. He stops abruptly and looks at me. "You took them off?"

"Yes. I gave Ranger back his ring, but I kept the dog tags."

"Thank you, Beautiful." He gets back to where he left off, kissing my breasts and teasing my nipples. He moves slowly down my body, it seems like he's kissing every area of exposed skin. He puts his hands under the waist band of my pants, and pushes the down. He pulls off my panties and then gently places me on the couch. There's a tenderness that Lester has that I've never felt from him before. His kisses a gentle and teasing, and I'm not sure where he's going next. He moves down to my core and kisses me only with his lips. I'm feeling myself getting wet with is touch. He uses his tongue to gently lick my lower lips and massage my clit. He is keeping me engaged by building my anticipation. Then, he switches focus back to my breasts. I'm not used to this Lester, but I like it. He continues going back and forth from my breast to my core, driving me up but not letting me go over. Then, he puts two fingers inside me while using his tongue to massage my clit. I feel myself getting close but he once again stops. He repeats this at least five more times. I can't talk it any more. "Lester, please. I need you."

"Soon, Beautiful, soon." He keeps on bringing me to the brink before stopping. He gets up and strips. He goes for his wallet to take out the condom he always keeps there. He rips open the wrapper and starts to put it on when the condom rips. "Fuck, I need to get another one."

"It's okay. Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Lester takes his hand and rubs my core. He uses my juices to lubricate his cock before he enters me. He's standing and lifts my hips up so he can enter deeply into me. He goes very slowly, letting me feel every inch of him moving completely inside me and almost out of me. The pace is painfully slow, but it's wonderful. I can tell he's trying to last a long as he can. Lester can never be accused of being an early ejaculator. He knows how to last to bring me pleasure multiple times before releasing, but I know he wants to have this moment, right now, together. He starts to quicken the pace and I feel him throbbing inside me. I am getting close again. "Stephanie, I love you." "I love you too, Lester." With that, we both come together. He sits down on the couch and pulls me on his lap, while kissing me. For the first time, Ranger didn't enter my mind, and I truly appreciate just how good Lester is. I lean my head on his check and fall asleep.

 **Lester's POV**

Finally, she's all mine. I can tell that she was completely enthralled in us tonight, with no thoughts of Ranger entering her mind. I think she just gave me more of her heart. I know I'll never have her whole heart, but I'll take ninety percent of her heart. Today is the first day of our new life together. I will do whatever I must do to keep her happy. She is my life. I am surprised to see that she took off the dog tags. I know that that gesture means that she is letting Ranger go. She always said that she couldn't take them off because then that would mean that he was gone from heart. But, now the we know he's alive, she doesn't need to hold on to that hope. I was most surprised that she returned his engagement ring. I know that will destroy Ranger. I hope that whatever he had to deal with for the last three years, that this doesn't break him. I know what it's like to hold onto something or someone to keep you alive, and to lose that, it's difficult.

Stephanie is sleeping on me. I didn't think that she would be asleep so soon. She's probably emotional exhausted. I slowly stand up and pick her up and bring her to our bedroom. I place her in bed and tuck her in. As much as I want to climb in next to her, I need to find out what happened to Ranger. I know Tank and Bobby will know, so I'll call them now. I sneak down into our office, and dial Bobby.

"Hello"

"Hey Bobby, it's Les. What the fuck happened? How was Ranger captured and presumed dead?"

"Les, something weird went on. Ranger asked us to consider it. We were going to brief you tomorrow. We, Tank and I, think that you need to tell Bomber, but we'll leave that up to you to decided when and how you want to tell her. Is she with you?"

"Yeah, she's upstairs sleeping."

"Are things okay between you two?"

"Now they are. I think she finally let go of Ranger and gave herself to me. I wasn't sure if that would be the case. I really thought that she was going to pack up and leave me for Ranger. It may still happen, but at least for now, life is good."

"I'm happy for you, Lester. Do you know that Ranger is leaving for Miami in the morning?"

"Yes. He came and spoke to me. He told me he was letting her go and to take care of her. He won't interfere, and he wants me to let him know which family affairs we'll be going to so he won't be there. I hope that's only temporary though. His mother will kill me if she thinks I'm keeping her son from her."

"Well, I hope it will work out for all of you as well." Bobby stated before getting back to the point of our phone call. "His mission was almost over. He got the target out and was clearing the building. Suddenly, he was knocked out. When he woke, he was locked in windowless room, chained to the ceiling and wall. He was tortured and was questioned about the mission he led after 9/11 in Pakistan. He never gave any information to his enemies. Then, one day, he woke up and was about five miles from the American Embassy. We think the government wanted him out of commission for something, because everything went too well up to his capture. It was our government that found the body, and from looking at the autopsy report, there is no way that the body found was Ranger's. The man was too short. I think the dental records were switch. It was easy enough to get his dog tags, because that was the only think Ranger was missing when he arrived at the Embassy."

"So, the dog tags Steph has been wearing are really his."

"Yes. Lester, the implied that they told him that if he ever told anyone about this, they would kill the people closest to him, starting with Stephanie, then Julie."

"So that's why he let her go."

"No, he was planning on resuming his life with Stephanie and taking her away. He wanted them to start over and live a quiet, normal life somewhere, anywhere other than here. He hoped that Steph would go with him and he could take Julie as well until he could find out what happened to him. Once it was safe, then they could come back here. He let her go because he could see that she wouldn't just leave without telling you, and you wouldn't let him take her."

"Bobby, do you think he loves her, I mean, in the real and true sense of the word?"

"Lester, his world revolves around Bomber. I don't know if he will truly heal from this last mission without Stephanie in his life."

"I was afraid of that. Bobby, I think she is finally ready to give herself fully to me. I don't want to lose her, but I don't know how she will react to this. I can't be the one to explain this to her, you or Tank need to. Damn it, Ranger should tell her. Listen, I'm going to try and convince Steph to take a few days off so we can go away somewhere and decompress. I'll be back in a week, hopefully. Call me on my sat phone if you need me."

"Be safe and be smart. I don't know if Stephanie is safe anywhere."

"I will." I hang up. I go up the stairs and into our bedroom. I climb into bed next to Stephanie, wrapped my arms around her and pulled her on top of me. She stirs a little. "I love you Steph."

"I love you Ranger."

I wake her up. "Hey, Les, what time is it."

"Steph, you just said 'I love you Ranger'. I'm not Ranger. Who do you really want, Stephanie. I love you with all my heart and soul and I will do anything for you to ensure that you are happy. But I can't do this anymore. I can't share you with Ranger. You need to either pick Ranger and give me up or you need to pick me and give up Ranger. I want you to be happy, Beautiful. I think you need to hear from Ranger what happened over the last three years and you need to ask him what he wants from you. Make an informed decision and take your time. I'll bring you to Rangeman to see Ranger."

"Lester, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. And I do love you. Last night was amazing, one of the best nights of my life."

"One of the best nights, not THE best night. Let me guess, your best was with Ranger?"

"Yes." Stephanie admitted. "Our first time together."

"Damn him. Doesn't that tell you something, Stephanie?"

"I'm sorry, Lester, I really am."

"I know, Beautiful, and I'm sorry too. We should try to get a little sleep."

She climbs on top of me and starts to kiss me. "Make love to me again." How can I deny her?

 **Ranger's POV**

I woke up early this morning after a restless sleep. Stephanie's letter has me all worked up. She loves me but wants to stay with Santos. She wishes that she was in my arm and that I was making love to her but she's staying here with Lester. Fuck my life. I wish I could see her one more time and tell her how I feel and how I've always felt about her. If she still picks Lester, then I'll walk away. But I hope that's not the case. I don't want to hurt my cousin, but I do want Stephanie to be happy. So, being that I can't sleep, I decide to work out in the gym like before. I was trying to come to terms with saying good bye to my men here and to Trenton forever. I never intended to stay here. I was one week from leaving for Miami, then I met Stephanie. Now, almost seven years later, I'm leaving Trenton for the last time. I know that I will never see Stephanie again, that I will never have her in my arms, or be able to make love to her. I lost her forever. I should have proposed to her sooner. I'm sure she's thinking I only proposed so she would wait for me, but that's not the case. I was waiting for my contract to expire. At midnight, I was going to propose, when I knew I wouldn't get called away any more. But it didn't happen. I finish my workout and I am about to leave when Lester walks in. He's pissed, and I'm not sure about what.

"On the mats, NOW!" Lester orders me. I follow him over. I have a good 20 pounds on Lester and can easily take him down but he has rage on his side. He punches me in the face. "Why? Why did you have to come back and fuck up my life." He connected again in the ribs. "Why did you have to make her promise to fuck you again? Didn't you fuck with her enough?" He connected again. Then he stopped. "Why can't you just be happy for me and Stephanie. Why can't you just leave her alone. You fucked with her mind for so many years that she can't get you out of it. You know you ruined her life, Carlos. You never showed her who you really are. You let her believe that you were Batman."

"I never meant to hurt her. I never meant to fuck with her life."

"But you did. We made love last night, and I though she finally gave herself to me, and then, in her sleep, she says that she loves you. And once again, you're leaving her behind for us to pick up the pieces."

"Lester, he life is in danger because of me. I wanted to take her away, where we could start over together, where I can say good bye to Ranger and just be Carlos. Where I can give her what she needs and wants from me. But she has moved on. I hope that her being with you will keep her safe. Trust me, cousin, the last thing I wanted to do was hurt you or Stephanie. If I would have known that you were engaged, I would never have come home. I'm sorry, Lester. Please forgive me."

"Carlos, you need to explain everything to Stephanie. You need to let her know what YOU want from her and what you wanted before you left. She'll never be able to choose between us without all the facts. She knows how I feel, but she needs to know how Carlos feels. No blank face, Carlos."

"You know that she may not pick you. Are you willing to give her up?"

"I just want her to be happy. She's shed enough tears to last her a lifetime. I don't want to be the cause of anymore tears for her. I don't want her to wake up one day and regret the choice she made and walk away then. Just don't leave with her without her telling me for herself. She's waiting in your apartment."

XXXXXXXX

 **Author's note** : THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your reviews. I love reading them. If you have ideas or suggestions for how I can move this story along, please share them. For some reason, this story is staying with me. I never planned on a Lester/Stephanie romance, but it kind of makes sense. However, I'm a Babe and this will eventually be a Babe HEA. I just need to help Stephanie get her head and her heart together. I'm also trying to be kind to Lester, because he is a good guy and he really does love Stephanie.


	4. Decision Time

**The characters belong to JE, the stories are mine, with some borrowing from cannon for authenticity. Some mild smut.**

 **Chapter 4: Decision Time**

 **Stephanie's POV**

Here I am, waiting in Ranger's temporary apartment on 4. The apartment that he will be leaving in a few hours. I have never been so confused in my life. I am once again forced to choose between two men, only this time, it's really not my fault. I strung Joe along for years while Ranger played his game, and when I finally realized that I didn't really love Joe, we already hurt each other. But, we both moved on. Joe found his wife, and he is happy in his Burg life. I had my Batman, and then he was dead. Now, I found a good man, and I love him, only to have Batman reappear and fuck with my mind. I need to know what Ranger went through these last three years. I need to know what he wanted before he left. I must make sure that the proposal wasn't to keep me waiting for him and it was because he really loved me, and the he still does. I need to talk to someone, someone who can help me sort through my feelings. If Kim, Susan, and Kelly were closer, they would be my first choice. Not knowing the history and the gossip, they could give me an objective opinion, but San Diego is too far away and I can't do this over a computer. Maybe I'll go talk to Joe. Yeah, I'll talk to Joe.

The door opens and I see Ranger walk in. It's clear that he a Lester went to the mats, and it looks like Lester got a few good punches in. "How's your ribs?"

"They hurt like hell but I don't think they're broken. Just give me five minutes to shower, Stephanie, and then I'll talk to you."

He walks into the small bathroom and takes his shower. He comes out in low riding sweatpants and a t-shirt. His hair is still wet and much shorter than I'm used to seeing on him. He sits on the chair across from me. "What do you want to know, Stephanie?" It kills me that he's calling me Stephanie. I was never Stephanie, I was always Babe.

"What happened when you left here? Don't spare any details. I want to know everything."

"Well, I arrived in D.C. and received my orders from my CO. He told me the mission was to get out an operative who got taken hostage in Turkey. I was a little surprised because Turkey was not a place where I was usually sent. Most of my missions have been to South and Central America because of my Cuban heritage and fluency in Spanish, and not just formal Spanish but street Spanish. I've done some missions to Pakistan and Afghanistan, because of my skills, and a few in the Middle East, mostly Egypt. But never Turkey. That should have been the first sign that this was not going to go as expected. I was given my team, and I had only worked with one of the guys before. The rest of them were new to me. This was also unusual. I would always be given the option of picking my own men. For this mission, I would have picked Ram, as he is from Greece and has some Turkish ancestry. He also speaks the language. But that wasn't option. That was my second sign that something was off." He went to the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water and offered me one. I accepted.

"When we got to Turkey three weeks later, everything went real smooth. We found our target, took out the enemy and were ready to head out. I was way too easy. I started to get a feeling that something bad was about to happen. I had my men clear out of the building and just as I was about to leave, I thought I heard someone cry of help. I sent my men along to secure our target and I went back in. Just as I got to the person, the building went up in flames. I was trapped. I don't really remember what happened or how I got out of the building, but when I woke up, I was restrained on a bed, naked. My dog tags were gone. I had first degree burns on my legs, but otherwise, I was uninjured. I knew I wasn't in a hospital, but I didn't know where I was. At first, they treated me well, feeding me enough food and allowing me some exercise, but after about three months, something changed. This new guy came in as started to question me on a mission I had led in Pakistan after 9/11. We were trying to hunt down Bin Laden, and were following some leads we got. A few people got killed in the process, apparently, this guy's uncle. He was one of the men under my command. I was very young in command, but I was good. An enemy sniper took him out as we were leaving. I tried to save him but the bullet hit is carotid artery. He bled out. He wanted to know if I took out the sniper and why I didn't save his uncle. He pushed for details and questioned every decision I made. I don't know how he had so much information on the mission, but he did. When I refused to answer him, he would let me go without food, or he would cut me. He sometimes would punch me, but he would never take me on unrestrained. He knows I could have killed him. Finally, when he felt I gave him all I could, he started to question me about my personal life. If I had family I was close to, if I had children or a woman back home. I refused to answer but he a few articles on Scrog, and he knew you were a part of my life. He had pictures of us together from multiple newspaper stories about your many car explosions and what not. He knew about Julie. He knew that I was in love you and told me that I better watch out because he was going to go after you, and then Julie. Take away two people who I loved after he lost two people he loved. Apparently, his uncle's death brought back his father's PTSD from Vietnam and he wound up drinking a lot and killed himself in a drunken car crash. He broken my hip and left me a few miles from the American Embassy in Turkey. I managed to make it there. When I got there, I had been missing and presumed dead for 2 years and 3 months. It took almost a month for me to get cleared and to be declared "alive". But, I still could be released or contact anyone. I was sent to a hospital in Europe, in Germany, where they treated my injuries. My hip did not heal well, so they had to rebreak it. It took me six months to recover, and I had to learn to walk again. Then, two months ago, I finally came stateside. I still wasn't allowed to contact anyone. Once my debrief was over, I could leave and I can directly here."

"Oh my God. Ranger, I'm so sorry you had to go through that." I said, trying not to cry.

"It's okay. It really wasn't that bad. I'd been treated worse in the past." He paused. "Stephanie, someone had set me up to take that mission. I was official off role and I wasn't supposed to be called. My CO's commander was this guy's godfather, and he set me up. He's already been court martialed and is in military prison. However, the guy who captured me is gone. No one knows where he is. He seems to have disappeared. You are not safe if you are with me. You need to stay with Lester. He will keep the target off you. I don't want anything to happen to you, so that's why I'm leaving. I need to protect Julie. You are already protected by being engaged to Lester."

Now I'm starting to get pissed. "Okay, Ranger, here you go ordering me around again and pushing me off to another man. You did that with Morelli and with Lester. What about what I want? What about how I feel? Do my feelings and emotions mean nothing to you?"

"What the fuck are you talking about. You let me go. Do I need to read you the letter? Do I need to show you the engagement ring you returned to me? You already made your choice. I'm just letting you keep it."

"Ranger, why did you propose to me five minutes before you left. I want the truth. Was it to prevent me from going back to Joe?"

Ranger sighs and sits down. "No, Steph, it wasn't. My original plan was to propose to you two day later, once my contract was official over. I wanted to make sure that I couldn't be called away from you ever again. But when I was, I put the plan on hold and was going to propose when I returned. But in talking to my lawyer, he said I couldn't give you part of Rangeman if we weren't engaged. It was a stipulation we put into our incorporation when we formed. The only way that we could leave our part of Rangeman to someone other than our child, was if we were married or engaged. I had a bad feeling about the mission and I wanted you to be set if something happened to me. I wanted you to have enough money to live comfortably and to be able to find a job your truly loved. I didn't want you to feel forced to marry someone so they could support you. I told the guys what I was planning and they were fine with it. They encouraged me to do it. And just so you know, you don't have to give me the money back or your percentage of Rangeman back to me. It's yours forever, or until you decide you don't want it. But from what Tank told me, you're more than pulling your weight around here. You earn that ten percent every day. I'm proud of you."

It was so great to hear Ranger say that he was proud of me. It's been a long time since I heard those words, but he still did say Babe. Why? "Ranger, I need to know the truth. I need you to be honest with me. I cannot decide if I don't know the truth. What were you hoping to happen between me and you when you returned? Let's assume that Lester and I were not dating and that I was single and free, or still engaged to you. What were you hoping to happen?"

He moves to sit next to me on the couch. He takes my hands in his and looks me in the eye. "I was hoping to marry you as soon as possible. I was hoping to make you my wife. I've been dreaming about you every night and I've been regretting all the time I wasted. I regret sending you back to Morelli time and time again. I regret no proposing to you sooner. I regret never telling you that I could give you a committed, monogamous relationship. I wasn't always sure that marriage was on the table, but I would have committed myself to you. I would never cheat on you or stray from you. I wouldn't allow you to cheat on me. I would and still will defend your honor and protect you. If you eventually wanted a child, my child, I would give that child. Anything in the world that I could give you I would. If you really needed that ring and that piece of paper, I would have eventually caved. But telling you that my love comes with a condom and not ring, and that I love you in my own way, those were the wrong things to tell you. Babe, you are my everything. You are my life. I was all set to go to Miami before I met you. But I stayed because I met you. You became my focus, my goal, my everything from the start. I regret making the fucking deal with you. I know that if I tried, I could have taken you to bed honorably, but I don't know how to date, how to court a woman. I never wanted to before you. I thought that you were just some conquest that I need to have and then I'd be done with you, but I was wrong. Babe, I didn't want to leave you that morning. I wanted to stay in your bed. I wanted to make love to you all day, and it scared the shit out of me. There isn't a person in the world that I love more than you and that I want to spend my life with other than you. But, if you no longer want me or need me, I can walk away. It will break my heart, and will leave be broken, but I won't make you sacrifice your happiness. If it has to be anyone, I'm glad it's one of my men, and that it's Lester, because as much as he's a playboy, he's always wanted a woman for himself, and until he found that suitable woman, he was hell bent on living and loving. So, Stephanie, you want to know what I wanted, I'll tell you plain and simple: I want you to be my wife, my lover, and my best friend. I want to make love to you every day and I want to wake up and go to sleep with you in my arms every night. I want to shed Ranger and I want to be Carlos. I want to leave Trenton, leave Rangeman, and live a less dangerous life. But, wherever you are is where I need to be, and wherever you want to be is where I will stay if you still want me. I love you, Stephanie Michelle Plum."

I am so overwhelmed. These are the words that I've been waiting for Ranger to say to me for years. These are the words that I've always hoped he'd say to me and mean. I can see that he's telling me the truth, because I can see the fear, the pain, the love, and the hope in his eyes and in his face. He is showing me his emotions. I know who I want. I've always known that if he ever said the words, that I would be his forever. I react without thinking. I straddle his lap and kiss Ranger on the lips, deep and passionately. Our tongues meet and my body is fire with desire. He's everything I ever wanted and all that I ever need. I pull his shirt off and look at his amazing body. He lost some muscle, but he's still in excellent physical condition. His hands are under my shirt and he's unhooking my bra, allowing him access to my breast. I moan at his touch. He takes off my shirt and bra and looks at me. "I've missed you so much. I've spend far too many night dreaming about you, about this, having you in front of me, being able to hold you and touch you." He kisses my breasts and sucks on my nipples. He brings his hand to my core and starts to rub me through my pants. I don't want to wait any longer, I want my Ranger, and I want him now. I get up and take off my pants and panties. I pull him up and remove his sweatpants as he comes falling out, hard and standing at attention. I move straddle him once more that he stops me. "Wait. We need a condom." He goes into the pocket of his sweatpants and pulls out sleeve and rips one open. I take it from him and put it on his impressive cock. Once it's on, I slowly lower myself on to him. I feel him fill me up and I moan. "Oh Carlos, I've miss you so much." I ride him slowly, savoring every moment, remembering his feel, remembering the wonder Ranger induced orgasms that I've missed. He quickly flips me over on the couch and takes over. "I don't know if I can be gentle, Babe. It's been too long." I reply "Take me. I don't care how." He moves faster and harder, going as deep into me as he can before he pulls almost completely out. He puts his hand on my clit and massages it while pushing inside me. We both explode together and he keeps moving inside me, milking us for everything we have before he pulls out. He removes the condom and disposes it before sitting down next to me and kissing me senseless.

"Ranger, I've missed you so much. Do you know how many nights I dreamed of you, how many nights I imagined you were making love to me and not Lester. I know that my choice is going to destroy Les, but I can't be with him knowing that you are alive. You are the love of my life, the one I've been waiting for. I just don't know how to break the news to him gently."

"Babe, I think he already knows, deep down, that you would chose me over him. He knows he doesn't have your entire heart. You need to tell him the truth."

"What do we do now? You said I'm in danger being with you. So, what's the plan?"

"We stay here for a while. We need to try to get some intel and determine where this fucker is. Once we get a line on him, then we go from there. I know Tank moved into the penthouse, so we can stay here or we can go to my house."

"Wait, you have a house?"

"Yes. I own it under one of my aliases, Marc Pardo. My parents are the only ones who know about it. If anything were to happen to me, the house would go to Julie when she turned 18. It was a way of giving her an investment. She could sell it and use the money for school or to set up her own life somewhere, or she could live in the house. I own it free and clear, no mortgage. The house is monitor by Rangeman. Marc Pardo is a client, a very wealthy client who lives on the west coast but keeps a house in Jersey for when he has business in New York or Philly."

"As much as I like being in this building, I don't want to live in this apartment. Let's move into your house."

"Okay. You need to talk to Lester and tell him, Babe. But maybe you should clean up first."

"I give Ranger a kiss and go into the bathroom where I quickly clean myself without taking a shower. A wet head would be too obvious. Fortunately, my hair isn't too bad. Les will probable know, but no one else should. I grab my purse and my keys and give Ranger one last kiss before leaving the apartment to go up to five. I go into Lester's office, close the door and lock it.

"Beautiful." He looks at me and reads my face. I see truth set in before I can even say a word to him. He motions me to come to him. I walk to him and he pulls me on his lap.

"You're choosing Carlos."

"Yes. I'm sorry Lester. I never meant for this to happen. I do love you, but not the same way that I love Carlos. You knew that he was always in my heart."

"I did. I only hoped that in time, you would eventually give me all your heart. I understand, Beautiful, I really do. And I don't hate you or Carlos for this. I hate that it happened. I hate that you spend three years mourning for a man that never died. I hate that you had to hurt so much. I hate that all the pain that we've been through could have been avoided. I hate that someone had to fuck with Carlos, and in turn, fuck with our lives. But I will always love you, Steph. Just know, if you ever need me, I'll be there for you. If you ever get tired of Carlos, you know where to find me. Just promise me that I can be your best friend. I don't want you out of my life. If you choose to move away from Trenton, please keep in touch with me. I don't want to go more than a few days without talking to you."

"Lester, I could never cut you out of my life completely. You were there to help me pick up the pieces when my world shattered. You helped to give me a reason to live again, and allowed me to live my life. You deserve a woman who could give you one hundred percent of her heart, and I know you will find that woman. And when you do, I'll be making sure she's the real thing." I slowly take off Lester's engagement ring and give it back to him. "Thank you for loving me." I kiss him on his lips and give him a hug. I place my head on his chest, close my eyes, and allow my tears to fall. We sit together like that in his office for a half hour before there's a knock on the door. "Lester, we need you in Tank's office asap. And tell Bomber to be there too." Bobby announced.

"Are you okay with us?" I ask Lester.

"Yeah, I am. Except Steph, please keep the PDAs to a minimum. I can't handle that yet."

"No problem. And thank you for being so understanding."

We get up and unlock the office door. We walk towards Tank's office. We enter the room and close the door. I sit on the arm chair in the seating area. Ranger and Bobby are sitting on the couch, Tank on the other arm chair, and Lester brings over one of the desk chairs. There is an awkward tension in the room, with Bobby and Tank trying to figure out what's going on with me, Ranger, and Lester. I know they want to know, but are afraid to ask. I see them both looking to my left hand to see if the ring is still on or if it's off.

Lester breaks the silence by saying "So, what's going one. Why are we all here?"

Ranger picks up the conversation from there. "We identified the man who help me captive. His name is Robert Dalton. His uncle, Sean Dalton, served with me on a mission in Pakistan where he was KIA. Robert blames me for his uncle's death. He enlisted in the Navy when he turned 18 and became a Seal. He's taken a personal vendetta against me and has threatened to hurt Stephanie and Julie. It is easier for us to keep Stephanie safe then it is to keep Julie safe. She has school and a social life, and her mother doesn't want her life to have to change drastically. She didn't tell Julie that I'm alive yet. She's waiting for me to go to Miami. In the meantime, I've assigned a couple of guys from our Miami office to shadow her. Rachel is allowing trackers in her clothes, and gave her a new necklace with a tracker on it. Julie loves the necklace and never takes it off, so that's our back-up."

"Stephanie has agreed to move in with me to a safe house, or as she will call it, the Batcave. It is already hooked up to Rangeman security, but by a private client named Marc Pardo. Marc Pardo is me. The house is on the beach in Deal. It's near the Ramos compound and they agreed to provide us with additional support in a pinch if we need it."

"Why would Ramos agree to that?" Tank asked.

"It seems that Alexander Ramos is fond of Stephanie and wants to ensure that she is safe."

"Wait a minute, we need to back up a minute. What is going on with the three of you?" Bobby asked.

Lester replied. "Stephanie and I are no longer a couple. Our engagement is off."

I put my head down and stare at the floor. I can't meet Bobby or Tank in the eye. I know they probably think I'm a horrible person. "Why am I not surprised, Bomber." Bobby said before adding, "Can Tank and I speak to Stephanie alone for a few minutes?"

Ranger and Lester shrugged and got up and walked out. Once the door closed, Tank got up and locked it.

"Are you sure you're making the right decision, Stephanie?" Tank asked me.

"Yes. I have always loved Ranger. I still do. If he would have come back when the mission was over, we would be planning our wedding, and by this point, would already be married. If he was declared MIA, I would have waited for him to be found. The only reason I moved on is because I thought he was dead. I didn't want to grow old alone. Don't get me wrong. I love Lester, but I don't love him like I love Ranger. If I would have known for these last three years that Ranger was alive, I never would have started a relationship with Lester."

"You do realize that if you were to marry Lester you would own a twenty percent share in Rangeman. You would own more that Ranger or Lester, and almost as much as me and Bobby." Tank asked.

I am stunned. I had no clue that being married to Lester would have given me a share of Rangeman.

"You had no idea?" Bobby said.

"No. I didn't. That's scary. I would want that much."

Bobby continued, "Bomber, you know that Ranger may be retiring from Rangeman and he may be moving away from Trenton."

"Yes. He told me as much."

"Are you okay with that?" Tank asked.

"As long as I'm with Ranger I'll be happy. That's all I ever wanted, was to be with Ranger."

"I know we've discussed the possibility of you having a baby. Ranger doesn't really want that."

"Bobby, that's where you're wrong. He does want that, he just didn't want to scare me away by saying he wanted a child. We were starting to talk about having a family before he left."

"Baby girl, know that we love you, and we want to make sure you're happy. If you are ever not happy, please let us know."

"I love you both, and I appreciate your concern. But I know, deep down in my heart, that if Ranger is alive and wants to be with me, my place is with him."

"Okay. I guess we should call Ranger and Lester back in." Bobby said.

Tank added, "I hope they're not beating the shit out of each other.

I rolled my eyes.

 **Ranger's POV**

I know I shouldn't feel so smug but I can't help it. I have my Babe back in my life, where she belongs. I really do feel sorry for Lester. He's my cousin and I love him, but she's MINE. I know he's hurting. I also know that Bobby and Tank want to make sure that Stephanie is okay and that she made her decision for the right reasons.

"I guess we can sit in my office." Lester says.

"That's fine with me."

He opens the door and we sit on opposite sides of his desk. "You have a house in Deal? When did you buy it?"

"A month after I met Stephanie. I bought it with her in mind."

"Part of me is happy for you, happy that you are alive and well, and that you are getting everything you want, including Stephanie. But right now, I also hate you for being alive."

"I understand, Lester. I hate that for the last year you got to hold Stephanie and make love to her and be her rock, her support. That was always my job, even when she was with Morelli, I was her support and comfort."

"You know, Morelli's not as much as a shithead anymore. She's the godmother to his daughter. He went with her to San Diego when she moved there and stay for almost a month helping her to get established. He went with her to pick out her apartment. He wanted her in a safe building, and found her a nice apartment in a building with a door man. He contacted us about any security companies we know out there that could monitor her place. He also helped her find a job at a law firm doing research and meeting with clients. He spoke to her on the phone two to three times and week and went out to visit her twice. When your first birthday after your death was nearing, he came here to speak to the four of us, Tank, Bobby, Hector and myself. He told us that from his conversations with Stephanie, she seemed to be getting depressed. She wasn't as talkative and she was talking about you more. He was concerned. He was going to fly to San Diego himself, but he couldn't get time off from work. He suggested that it would be a good idea for one of use to fly out there and surprise her. I volunteered to go because I was most strongly affected by your 'death' after Steph. I found her in a bar with her friends, trying to deflect a possible suitor. I offered to help her, but she when all Burg on him. It was great. You would have laughed. She ended by telling him that we owned a security firm in Jersey and the we knew how to hide bodies without leaving an evidence behind. I swear, he almost shit his pants." Lester paused. "We left the bar shortly after that and we spend the weekend in her apartment sharing stories of you. We had birthday cake in your honor. It was a cake made with fresh fruit, peaches, bananas, and strawberries. We felt you would approve."

"I'm glad to hear Morelli matured. I'll have to thank him for looking out for her. Lester, I don't want things to be strange between you and me, or between you and Stephanie. I understand it will take a while for our relationships to evolve, but you are still my cousin, and therefore, are my family. I love you, more than I love my brother. I don't want that to change because we are in love with the same woman."

"Carlos, I'm closer to you than to my own siblings. I've idolized you forever. It was nice living in your shoes for a while. I wish it was forever, but I know that Steph will never truly be happy with Robin when she can have Batman."

My phone rings. It's Tank. "Come back. We're ready to hear the rest of the plan."

Lester and I leave his office and the tension between us is gone. I know that he's not thrilled with how things worked out, but he has accepted it. I want him to be a major part of protecting Stephanie. I know, out of all my men, he will take the role the most seriously.

When we enter Tank's office, Stephanie has moved to the couch and Bobby is in the chair Lester brought over. That leaves the spot next to Stephanie open and the chair she was formally sitting in. Lester moved passed me and sat in the chair. That left the spot next to Stephanie open for me. I sat down next to her. "We need to try and draw Robert out in the open. He's good at hiding and has really good skills. He already knows what Stephanie looks like and where she lived. He was aware that she worked here, so I expect him to make some type of contact soon. Once he does, we need to back trace to find out where his is. I don't want him to lay a hand on Stephanie."

I'm going to need a team of guys with us at the Batcave at all times. Ramos will help if we are under attack but I rather not rely on them. Steph and I will still come to work every day, so we need to ensure that our cars are safe and explosive free."

"Great, it's been over three years without blowing up a car, now we'll start in again. You better start the pool up." Stephanie complained.

"Babe, there will be no cars blowing up if I can help it."

"Beautiful, don't joke about that."

"We need to come to the office together as much as possible. We need to watch each other's back. When we go out on client meetings or other errands, we partner up. Always with one of people in this room. Hector is the only other person who can be a partner. Stephanie, for any business in the seedier part of Trenton or near Stark Street that you may have, I request that you take Hector. His reputation there will keep you more protected than the rest of us. They are more scared of Hector then they ever were of me. On other trips, go with either Lester whenever possible. It would look less suspicious that way, especially to people who you see regularly. Use Bobby if Lester and Hector aren't available. Tank, you will be my main point person, followed by Bobby. I want a car following us at all times, whether Stephanie and I are together or apart. Stephanie, you need to wear a panic button and keep trackers on you. I will do the same. Are you okay with this?"

"Yes. I'm fine with it."

"We'll revise our course of action once we find out more about Mr. Dalton. Stephanie, starting tomorrow I want you to run a search on Robert Dalton. Find out everything you can. If anything gets flagged as confidential, forward it to me and I'll get it cleared. Now, I think it's time we head home for the day. After all, it is a Saturday and we are usually not working so late."

"Tank, what can we do about getting me an office?"

"I'll take a cubby, you can have my office." I volunteer.

"None of the partners will have a cubby. We'll make you an office from Conference Room 1. It's the smallest one and we use it the least. I'll tell Luis to get your stuff out of storage and set it up." Tank said.

"Perfect."

"Babe, when do you want to go to the Batcave?"

"Tomorrow? Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I'll be down on four." I walk away and let her and Lester figure things out, like her moving out.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Author's Note: Stephanie decided and she chose Ranger. No surprise there if you know me. I'm a hopeless Babe. Now, can Lester and Ranger work together to keep Stephanie safe or will it get too complicated? And, will Lester find happiness and a woman all for himself? Stay tuned and keep the reviews coming!**


	5. The Visit

**The characters belong to JE, the stories are mine, with some borrowing from cannon for authenticity.**

 **Chapter 5: The Visit**

 **Stephanie's POV**

Ranger has been back for ten weeks. We are no closer to finding Dalton. Things have come to a good balance here at Rangeman. Lester and I are back to being very close friends, and Carlos and I are even more in love. We convinced Rachel, Julie's mom, to have her come and live with use until we find Dalton. This way, she can go to school and lead a normal life. There are still times when I miss Lester, but then I call him and we talk things through. This is the weekend that was supposed to be my bachelorette party, but being that I am not getting married just yes, there is no party. However, my girls from California are still going to come to the east coast to see me and meet my Batman. They were shocked when they heard the story of what happened, and how Carlos has returned from the dead. They all agreed that I was making the right decision.

Lester and I drive to Newark International to pick them up. When they see me, they give me a huge hug and kiss. They remember Lester from his visits, and immediately give him the same treatment. When we walk outside, they see the SUV behind us with Cal and Hal. "Steph, why do you have body guards?" Kim asked,

"There are some threats against me, Julie, and Carlos. They are here to protect me. Lester is my body guard when I'm no with Carlos. Cal and Hal are backup."

We stow their luggage into the back of the SUV and head to the Batcave. When we pull up, they are in awe at the house. It's a big, three story mansion, with a separate cottage on the premises. There's a detached garage that separated from the house by a small walkway. Before we reach the door, it is opened my Carlos. By girls take one look at him in the flesh and they start fanning themselves. Kelly leans over to me and whispers "Holy hell, Steph, they don't grow men like this in California. First Joe, then Lester, Tank, Bobby and Hector, and now, Carlos. How do you manage to walk around Jersey with dry panties?"

I laugh. "You get used to them, except Carlos, I'll never get used to him, and he's still not back at his peak."

When we enter and Lester, Hal, and Cal bring their bags in, I formally introduce everyone. "This is Kim, Kelly, and Susan and we met at the law firm where I worked in San Diego. Kelly and Kim are paralegals and Susan is an investigator, like I was. Ladies, you already know Lester. The two guys from the other car are Cal and Hal, and this," I say taking Ranger's hand, "is Carlos."

Susan recovers first and says "Nice to meet you all. Thank you for allowing us to stay in your home. It's absolutely beautiful."

"Yes, thank you! I'm glad that you are allowing Stephanie to hang with us this weekend. We miss her." Kim adds.

Kelly then says, "Who's going with us to the club tonight?"

"Ladies, the pleasure is all mine. Anyone who helped Steph get through what happened is always welcomed in my home. Babe, why do you show them their suite?"

I take my girls and lead them to the East wing of the house. On the second floor is a suite of rooms. Three small bedrooms off a common area. They have their own bathroom to share. In their shared space, there are double doors that lead to a balcony. They have a view of the ocean from their balcony.

"Holy cow, Steph, how much money does Carlos have?" Kim asks.

"I have no idea. Millions I suppose. All I know is that since I've been a ten percent owner of Rangeman I haven't had to worry about money. I never touched my inheritance."

"You mean the money Carlos left you when you thought he died." Kelly clarified.

"Yes. I don't have to return it or my share of Rangeman. Especially since I moved back here, I've taken on a lot of responsibilities with running Rangeman. I'm one of the core four, now core five."

"How did Lester take you going back to Carlos?" Susan asks.

"Better than I expected. I think he knew that deep down I never stopped loving Carlos. He is the love of my life, my soul mate. Lester is a great man, and I do love him, but not like I love Carlos. I think my love for Lester was like my love for Joe, but the reason we worked is because unlike Joe, Lester loved me for who I was, not who he wanted me to become." I sigh. "It's been a little weird trying to have the relationship that Carlos and I had before he left at work because I'm always afraid I'll be hurting Lester, but it's hard for Carlos and I to not kiss or just hold each other. We have a very intense connection, a chemistry that is unique to us. It's almost like we get dragged into each other's force field or something. I can't explain it."

"Well, Steph, let me just say, the pictures did not do that man justice. He is probably the best-looking guy I have ever seen. I mean, really, Steph, how do you work around all those hot men all day long?" Kim asks me.

"I'm just used to them. Most of them are like brothers to me. Especially Hector. He calls me his 'hermana'. He's been teaching me all the bad Spanish words. I can curse with the best of them in Spanish."

"Now, seriously, which guys are escorting us tonight and are they single?" Kelly asks.

"Carlos and Lester are coming to watch my back. Then we have Cal, Hal, Hector, Vince, Tank, and Ram. I think Binkie and Miguel are staying here with Julie." I look at my watch. It's three o'clock. "Julie should be getting off the bus in a few. Why do you guys get settled and unpack. We're leaving for dinner at five. We're heading down to Seaside Heights. It takes about forty-five minutes to get there without traffic. Then, we'll spend some time on the Boardwalk before hitting some clubs. Make sure you were comfortable shoes or bring a change."

"See you later, Steph."

I leave their suite and go down to meet Julie off the bus. When she gets home from school on Fridays is girl time. I leave the office early on Fridays and meet her at the house. We spend the afternoon talking, swimming, or hanging out, and sometimes, we attempt to cook dinner. Julie has been learning from Rachel and is pretty good at teaching me a few things. We are starting to get close and have a good relationship. We are kind of a cross between a mother/daughter and sister relationship. She knows that she can talk to me and I won't tell Carlos unless it's something that concerns her safety or her future. I always tell her if I'm going to tell her father. I want her to know that she can trust me. I am often a mediator between Carlos and Rachel. Rachel is annoyed that Carlos has Julie in New Jersey, and doesn't really want her with him. She's more for it because of where we are living and the fact that I'm living with Carlos. I think she's afraid Julie will want to stay her, which is seeming like it's a possibility. Julie doesn't seem to like it at home. She says her step brother and step sister get all the attention and she if often ignored. It's partially because of her independent spirit and intelligence, and partial because she is five years older than her oldest sibling. Since Scrog, she's had more contact with Carlos and is starting to think of him more as her father instead of as her sperm donor. Rachel doesn't know that Julie was the one who shot Scrog. She thinks I pulled the trigger.

Julie's bus pulls up and she bounds off. She comes running up to the house. I see that she's upset. "Julie, what's wrong, Sweetheart?"

"Jon Romero and Missy are such jerks." Jon is the boy that she has a crush on and Missy is, at least as of this morning, her best friend.

"Why? What's going on."

"Jon asked Missy to the homecoming dance on Halloween weekend and she accepted. She knows I have like Jon forever and is still going to go out with him."

Ugh, trials for a high school Junior. "Aren't you in the running for homecoming princess?" In Julie's school, there is a homecoming prince and princess from the ninth, tenth, and eleventh grades, with the normal homecoming court in the senior year with the crowing of King and Queen. Julie is one of three girls who were nominated for homecoming princess.

"Yes, which is why it blows even more."

"Is Jon in the running for Prince?"

"No. He didn't get nominated."

"What about Missy?"

"Nope. Only me."

"So many Jon is too intimidated to ask you out. Julie, you are a beautiful girl, very intelligent, and have a very scary dad with many scary Uncles. In addition, you have confidence and pose that not many other high school girls possess. If Jon doesn't see all you have to offer and settles for Missy, then it's his loss. I know how bad you feel, but really, do you want someone who doesn't see how great you are?"

"No, Steph, I guess you're right. Please don't tell dad. He'll run a full search and background check on him."

"What makes you think I haven't already done that?"

"Steph, you wouldn't, would you?"

I just look at her. She rolls her eyes and gives me a glare. God, I love this girl. "Steph, why?"

"Because I love you, because your father loves you, and because we want to make sure that whoever you choose to give your heart to is worthy of you. I know that whoever you date now may not be 'the one', but he could. It's better to find out sooner if there are any issues then later."

"Fine. I thought you had your friends from California coming for the weekend?

"They're here, in the East wing. I didn't want to miss our time together. Tia Ella will be here soon to take you to Trenton for the weekend. Your father and I will pick you up on Sunday for dinner with your abuela and abuelo in Newark before coming home." I pause and look at the time. "Listen, we have about a half hour before I have to start getting ready. Why don't you come with me to pick out my outfit for tonight and help me with my hair and makeup?"

"That sounds like fun. Let's me just get my school stuff together to bring to Tia's."

"Okay. Give me fifteen minutes for a shower then come on in."

I go into the office and find Carlos sitting with my Merry Men. "Don't you think this presence is a little excessive?"

"Babe, it's two men per person. I'm getting concerned that Dalton hasn't made contact yet. There's something no right about this."

"Are you sure Julie isn't the primary target?"

"Yes, Babe, I'm sure. Is she home?"

"Yes. I told her to give me fifteen minutes to shower then she's going to help me get ready to Ella arrives to bring her to Trenton. Who's coming with Ella?"

"Ram and Vince. Binkie and Miguel will ride back with Ella and Julie."

"Okay. I'm going to go and get ready." I kiss Ranger and give Lester a gentle punch on the arm before heading to our room. I just put on my robe when Julie enters. By the time Ella arrives, she has my hair in a pretty updo that looks casual yet classy. It's a variation of a sloppy French twist. She helps me create my smoky eyes. I pick out a red and blue strapless sundress that's form fitting to the waist and flairs out from there to allow me to dance freely. I have my four-inch red FMPs in my bag, as I'll be starting off with blue sandals. Ranger enters to tell us that Ella has arrived. Julie gives me and her father a hug and kiss before running to meet Ella. Once she leaves the room, Ranger looks at me, "Babe, not fair. It's going to be hard to be social all night long with you wearing that dress. You better not dance with Santos. He might forget you're no longer his."

"Carlos, you have to stop being so jealous. Lester would never poach or come between us. You know that." He comes over to me and stands me up and kisses me. He takes my hands and kisses each one. "You know, Babe, we have to do something about this bare left hand. I think it's time that you start wearing my ring again." Ranger kneels in front of me. "Stephanie, will you once again, give me the honor of agreeing to marry me and become my wife?"

"Of course, Carlos. I was wondering what was taking you so long."

"I waited until Lester was okay with it. He told me last week that I should put a ring on your finger soon because if I didn't he was going to swoop in. That I was an ass before and I shouldn't be one again. That I, of all people, should know how quickly life could change and I should waste a minute procrastinating. So, I'm following his advice."

"Well, I'm glad because I was starting to wonder if you were ever going to propose." We kiss again and his watch alarm goes off.

"Babe, we're leaving in ten. Better go gather your friends."

We arrived in Seaside Height in fifty-five minutes. We ate dinner at a wonderful seafood restaurant. Then we walked the boardwalk until ten. Finally, we arrive at the hottest new Latin club, where Rangeman provides the security. I switch my shoes and I'm ready to dance. We walk past the line already forming to get into the club and the bouncer lets us right in. We go the VIP section and have a private room all to ourselves. My girls are way impressed. Tank brought Lula with him because she's been dying to go to this club. Ranger okayed it simply because I was there and she was my friend. Ranger order Cristal and opened a tab. Any food or drinks were on him. Once we got settled and the band came on, we didn't waste time in our room. The moment the band started playing, Ranger dragged me onto the floor to start dancing. Between Ranger and Lester, I am very proficient at all the Latin dances, and both are great teachers and partners. My California friends never saw me dance and are shocked at how good I am. I danced the rumba, the salsa, the cha cha, the bachata, the tango, everything with Ranger. The problem was that we dance close, and we know each other bodies so well that it's major foreplay for us. The drive home with guests is going to be a killer for us. We step back to the table to rehydrate and relax for a few minutes.

"Wow, Steph, we didn't know you had moves." Kim exclaimed.

"Well, most of the guys here are Latino and they've been teaching me for years, though Lester and Carlos have done most of my lessons. They learned these dances before they could walk." I drink two bottles of water and then must go to the ladies' room. Susan and Kelly come with me because Kim is too busy dancing with Bobby, and Lula with Tank. On our way out, someone grabs my arm and pulls me into a dark corner. "Tell you dead boyfriend that he has two weeks to end his life or he will be burying his whore or his brat." I hear the buzz and then everything goes black.

"Steph, are you okay. Stephanie, wake up." Susan is trying to wake me while Kelly ran to get the guys. Ranger and Bobby return. "What happened?" Ranger asks as he take me into his arms.

"I don't know." Susan replies. "She was done in the bathroom first so she said she would wait for us outside the door because it was too crowded inside. I was just about to dry my hands. I couldn't have been more than a minute behind her. I thought a saw a man walk away from this area, but I didn't get a good look at him because I saw her on the floor. Did she faint?"

Bobby looks at her arm and see the marks. "She was stunned."

 **Ranger's POV**

Damn it! How the fuck did this happen? I have eight men here and she still gets stunned. She is starting to come around. "What happened?"

"Babe, you were stunned. What do you remember?"

"I remember coming out of the bathroom. It was too crowded inside and Susan was just about to dry her hands. I step out of the bathroom and a hand grabs my arm and pulls me towards a dark corner. He pushes me against the wall and tell me to tell my dead boyfriend that he has two weeks to end his life or he will be burying his whore or his brat."

"Come on, we have to get out of here. We need a sweep of the vehicles and the lot before we leave. Stephanie, you are going back to Deal with Lester and Bobby. I'll ride with Tank and Hector. Vince and Ram will take Lula home, and Cal and Hal will take your friends."

"But Carlos."

"No buts, Babe. We can't afford to be in the same vehicle."

"Beautiful, he's right. It's too dangerous. He'll be fine. He's got Tank and Hector."

"I thought Hector was my body guard."

"You need Bobby. You were stunned and you may have a concussion. He needs to monitor you to make sure you are okay."

"Fine. But I'm not happy about this."

"Neither and I, Babe." He turns to Tank. "Call the control room and tell them to go on lockdown. Julie is not to leave the building unless she is with the core five or Hector."

"You should just start calling us the core six." Stephanie says.

"Gracias, hermana." Hector says. "Jefe, I got the security footage from tonight."

"Good. Once the cars are cleared we're out of here."

Five minutes later we were all getting into the cars for the drive back to Deal. I place Stephanie in the car and kiss her. "I love you Babe, remember that." Bobby climbs in next to her and closes his door. "Santos, she better make it home in one piece. If I don't make it, take care of her."

"Carlos, don't talk like that. You will not die on her again. She's been through enough."

"Just get her home to me. I gave her the ring back."

"I know, I saw it. Congratulations. Now, set and date and make her an honest woman, cuz, sometime within the year would be nice."

"Santos, you're pushing your luck."

Lester gets in his car and I get in my car with Tank and Hector. Once we are all on our way, I can start to think. "Tank, how did he find out here? This is not a place we normally go and only the core team here knew all the details before this afternoon. We need to tighten the team around Steph and Julie back to the core team. We need to start picking up Julie from school. Taking the bus has become too risky for her. Maybe Dani can take her home."

"Who's Dani?" Tank asks.

"She is a friend of my sister Mariela. She's two years younger than me but she enlisted with me. She went through basic and then decided on joining the Nursing Corp. She's the nurse at Julie's school. She has training and was near the top of our class. She ranked number eight. The next ranking female was 25. She was tough as nails and still is. She knows Julie and is her point person at school if there is a problem."

"That's probably a good idea. Who do you want on Julie? The core team can't be spared from you and Steph and the running of Rangeman."

"I'm not sure. We first should confirm that no one here tonight betrayed me. Once we are sure of that, then I'll assign a team to Julie. Until then, I'm calling in her team from Miami. She's familiar with them and they were in her school before so they know how to blend and be unobtrusive."

"I'll contact them in the morning and get them on a plane her tomorrow night."

"Hector, look into everyone's phone and e-mail contact for the last forty-eight hours, including Steph's friends. I don't know them so I can't vouge for them. Scramble all wireless communications and cell service at the house until we get some information. We'll use sat phones to communicate."

"Got it, jefe." Hector responded. At this time, we reach my home. I park and go over to retrieve Stephanie from Bobby and Lester. I pick her up and carry her into the house. "Ranger, I can walk. I was just stunned."

"I know, Babe, but I want to get you inside quickly." Her friends follow us in and Steph promises to see them first thing in the morning to fill them in. They go up to their suite and we move to the office. Once there, I lockdown the office. "Bobby, did you do a thorough examination on Stephanie? Is she okay?"

"Yes. She seems to be fine. She has a little knot on her head, but otherwise has recovered without any issues. No nausea, no double vision, no headache, which are all good signs."

"Did you get anything on the video, Hector?"

"Si. We have Dalton entering and exiting the club."

"Let's get him up on the screen." We are watching him enter and trying to follow him around the club. We are looking to see if he contacts anyone. I look at Stephanie out of the corner of my eye and she is rubbing her stomach and looks like she's in pain. She always gets bad cramps, I wonder if that's it. I try to think back to when she last had her period. It was my second week back. That means it's been eight weeks since then. Two months. Shit, she may be pregnant. I don't know if the stun could hurt the baby. I walk over to where she is on the couch and sit behind her. I wrap my arms around her and rub her stomach. "Are you okay, Babe?" I whisper in her ear.

"I don't know, I feel like I'm getting cramps but I can't remember when my last period was. Stress screws up my cycle." She says softly to me.

"Babe, come up stairs with me and get changed. You look a little uncomfortable."

"Okay." I help her up. "We'll be right back. We want to check on our guests and make sure they're okay." I tell the room.

We walk into the bedroom and Steph opens the drawer of her dresser to pull out yoga pants and one of my t-shirts. While she's getting change, I talk to her. "Babe, the last time you had your period was about eight weeks ago. I was back about two weeks when you had it."

"It was that long ago? Are you sure?"

"Yes. Have you been taking your birth control?"

"I have been, religiously. There's no way I'm pregnant."

"Babe, we haven't been using condoms since you move in here. You got strep a while back and were on antibiotics. Don't antibiotics screw with birth control?"

"They do. Ohmygod! If I am pregnant, can the stun harm the baby?"

"I don't know. Let me call Bobby up here. Better yet, I'll text him."

Five minutes later Bobby knock on the door. I answer, "Come in."

"What's wrong, Bomber? Is everything okay?"

"Bobby, I was feeling a little pain in my abdomen. I get bad cramps, and I was trying to figure out when my last period was. Carlos says it was eight weeks ago. I think I might be pregnant."

Bobby stood there, stunned for a moment. "But you're on the pill, right? I've been filling the prescription for you."

"Yes, but I was also on antibiotics for strep after Carlos returned."

"And antibiotics can make the pill ineffective. I assume you haven't been using any condoms, Ranger."

"No. We haven't. She's been taking the pill every day. I make sure she does."

"Listen, I have a pregnancy test in my bag. I've been keeping them there since you've been back, just in case. I'll go get it. If it comes back positive, I need to get you to an ob-gyn to make sure that the baby's fine. I'm not sure what effect, if any, the stun could have on the baby's development." With that, Bobby leaves.

"Carlos, are you okay with me being pregnant? I mean, you just got back, we have Julie, there's a psycho after us, and we're dealing with the Lester situation. I know we talked about waiting…"

"Babe, this may not be planned, but I'm excited at the possibility. I love you. And if we created this child while expressing our love for each other, then it's a blessing. After everything that has happened in the last three years, I take nothing for granted and thank God for whatever good fortune he has planned for us. Do you want this child?"

"I do, more than anything. I want there to be a chance for a piece of us to live on, proof of our love that will live beyond us. When I thought you were gone, my biggest regret was not having your child. Even if I would have found out that I was pregnant while you were missing, I would have had a piece of you left that would belong to me."

"Then, Babe, if you are pregnant, we will accept this child with open arms and hearts."

Bobby knocked on the door before entering the room again. "Steph, you need to pee on the stick and then wait three minutes. It will show a plus sign if you are pregnant, and a minus sign if you are not. Are you ready?"

Stephanie shakes her head and disappears into the bathroom. She comes out with the test in her hand and I set the timer on my watch for three minutes. When the watch goes off, she looks at the test results and faints. I catch her and Bobby reads the results to me. "You're going to be a dad again. Congratulations."

Stephanie wakes up and I carry her to the bed. "Come on, mamacita, it's time for you to go to bed. You need rest, and so does our baby."

"I'm really pregnant? This isn't a dream?"

"No, Babe. You need to go to the doctor to be examined to have it confirmed, but according to the test, you are."

"Wow. Good night, Carlos. I love you."

"Love you too, Babe." I give her a gentle kiss on the lips and leave the room with Bobby. We walk to his room and close the door. "How do you think Lester's going to take the news?"

"Ranger, before you say anything, you need to make sure the kid is yours. There is a possibility it could be Lester's. It is possible for a woman to have vaginal bleeding that mimics a period. The only way to find out how far into her pregnancy she is and to determine if you are the father is to have an ultrasound. She needs to see an ob-gyn sooner rather than later."

"Fuck. So, if she's nine weeks pregnant or less, it's my child. If she over nine weeks, it's my cousin's baby. If she's pregnant with Lester's baby, she should be with him. I should not be the one raising his child. How did my life get so fucked up?"

"Ranger, let's just take it one day at a time. Don't mention this to Bomber. Hopefully this conversation is moot."

"Let's get back downstairs and figure out what Dalton is up to."

"Good idea."

 **Stephanie's POV**

The weekend flew by way too quickly. After the incident at the club Friday night, we all hung out at the house on Saturday and Sunday morning. Cal and Hal drove the girls to the airport, and Ranger and I went to pick up Julie. We agreed not to say anything about my possible pregnancy until after it was confirmed by a doctor. We spoke to Julie about her getting a ride home from the school nurse, Dani Cono, and she was fine with it. She has hung out with Dani and her Aunt Mariela before, so she was cool with her. Until we cleared the rest of the Rangeman staff from possibly sell us out, he asked Lester to meet Julie and Dani at the house every day until either Ranger or I could get home. One of us would get there by five. Hector became my main body guard. Today, Tuesday, I have an appointment with my doctor, John Travers.

Ranger and I arrive at Dr. Travers at one for our one-thirty appointment. I fill out all the necessary paperwork and the receptionist tells me to see the ultrasound technician. She completes and internal ultrasound and shows me the sac, which is an egg-like shape in my abdomen. She confirms that I'm about seven weeks pregnant. I let out a sigh of relief. I was concerned that the baby might be Lester's. Not that I wouldn't want his child, but it would complicate the situation even further when we are finally starting to uncomplicate it.

Ranger joins me when we meet with Dr. Travers in his office. "Ms. Plum, congratulations. You are about seven weeks pregnant. Your due date is May 27th. Unfortunately, because of your age, you are considered a high-risk pregnancy. You will come back once a month for an ultrasound and exam until you are twenty-six weeks. Then you will come every other week until thirty-six weeks. Then I will see you once a week until you deliver. I have a diet for you to follow to help keep the baby and you healthy. In addition, I have some information on approved exercise. I suggest you exercise during the pregnancy. It will make labor and delivery, along with the recovery, easier for you. You may continue to have intercourse throughout your pregnancy if it is comfortable for you. You may need to try different positions as you get further along. I'm going to give you a prescription for pre-natal vitamins as well as iron, being that you are a little anemic. Do you have any questions?"

"No. I'm good. Ranger?"

"Doctor, are there any places that Stephanie should not travel to?"

"The Caribbean, South and Central America, Mexico, and Africa. She needs to be careful in Florida. There are still some zika outbreaks around and we wouldn't want her to be exposed. Europe and most of the US is fine. If you have a specific place in mind, you can always ask me."

"Thank you, doctor."

"Ms. Plum, please make an appointment for a month from now. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me."

I go to the receptionist and make my next appointment. As we're leaving, we see Joe and Laura walking into the office. "Hi Cupcake, how are you?" Joe gives me a hug. The he looks at Ranger. "Manoso, I'm to see that you're back and well. Stephanie was a mess when she thought…"

"So, I heard. I want to thank you for helping Stephanie get settled in California and for being her friend when she needed someone. I'm glad that she had you to lean on. Congratulations on your daughter."

"Thanks. She's going to be a big sister. We're finding out if she's going to have a baby brother or sister today, that is if the baby is cooperative."

"On my God, Joe, congratulations. And congratulations to you, Laura. I'm so excited for you." I exclaim.

"Thank you, Stephanie. Joe, we need to get going. I don't want to be late."

"See you around, Cupcake, Manoso."

They walk in and we continue to the car. "He still calls you 'Cupcake'. Really, Babe?"

"He only calls me that around Laura because it pisses her off. She doesn't like him talking to me because she thinks I'm trying to steal him back. I've told her that I'm not interested and that I was the one who broke up with Joe, but she listens to him mother and the Burg too much."

"Babe, you have an evil streak." We arrive back at Haywood. When I get out the car, Ranger leans down and kisses me. "When do you want to share the news with everyone?"

"We need to tell my father, Lester, Ella, and Julie before we tell anyone else. We also need to tell you parents."

"Okay. I'll call my parents and tell them over the phone. They're leaving for Miami tonight until the holidays, so we won't be able to tell them in person. You should go tell Lester first, then we'll tell Ella together, and tonight, we'll tell Julie. If you want, I can take you to see your dad on our way home."

"That will be good. I'll go find Lester."

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Author's Note: Lester's love interest has been introduced. Their relationship will start to develop in the next chapter. I think she will be a good fit for him and she comes at the perfect time to help distract him from the regret of not having a baby with Stephanie when he had the chance.**

 **Please continue to send in your reviews. I love reading them and I have gotten addicted to the instant gratification.**


	6. New Love

**The characters belong to JE, the stories are mine, with some borrowing from cannon for authenticity.**

 **Chapter 5: New Love**

 **Lester's POV**

There's something going on with Stephanie. The way she was acting Friday night after the incident at the club is normal. I know that Steph gets bad cramps with her period, but that's not what she was feeling. She never rubs her belly like that. And she's been looking a little pale lately and seems more tired than usual. When I ask, she chalks it up to stress. Then, Bobby got called upstairs. When he and Ranger came back down, they were different. I asked if Steph was okay and they assured me she was. She seemed like she's been preoccupied since then. Yesterday, she went home to meet Julie. Today is my day to start. I'm told someone named Danny Cono is dropping her off. This Danny is a friend of Mariela. I'm wondering if it's a boyfriend.

To make things even more suspicious, Ranger and Stephanie leave in the middle of the day after they have lunch. Now, I see them return and they look happy, different. Shit, Steph must be pregnant. But, could the baby be mine? Less than three months ago, I was Stephanie's only lover. If she doesn't want to be with me, that's fine. I don't have a problem with Ranger being my child's stepfather, but I do want to be in the baby's life. I want to be an active father, not a passive one. I guess I'll just wait for one of them to tell me. I look at the clock. I have another thirty minutes before I have to leave to get to Deal in time to meet Julie.

The elevator opens and Stephanie and Ranger step off. Ranger goes to his new office, and Stephanie comes to me. "Lester, honey, before you leave, stop in my office." She tells me while placing her hand on my shoulder.

I see Ram come back in the control room. "Ram, cover me for the next half hour." One of the benefits of being on the core team is I can leave the monitors when I need to. I walk to Stephanie's office and knock. She tells me to enter while she finishes a phone call. I walk in and sit down in one of her visitor's chairs. I still have to resist the urge to walk over to her and put her on my lap and kiss her senseless. She has no idea how beautiful she is, how she captivates men with her looks, but also her personality. God I miss her. She hangs up the phone.

"Hey, honey, how are you?"

"I'm good. Getting ready to meet Julie."

"Listen, I just came back from the doctor and there is something I want to tell you. I am seven weeks pregnant. It wasn't planned, but it corresponds to when I had strep throat and was on antibiotics. The baby is Carlos's. I'm sure of that." I know she said the last statement to make sure that I understood that this child was not mine. I am excited for her and Carlos, and I know she will be great mother, but I'm also sad and jealous that this child isn't mine. We were waiting to be married, then we were going to start trying to have a baby. My baby. Now, she's having his. I control my emotion and put on my blank face.

"Congratulations, Beautiful, that's wonderful news. I'm happy for you and Carlos."

She gets up and walks over to me. She sits in my lap and puts her arms around me. "Lester, you don't need to hide how you feel from me. I can see it in your eyes. I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, and Carlos and I were no planning on having children until after this Sanchez mess is over. I know we were talking about starting a family, and in some ways, this is a slap in the face. I wanted to tell you before anyone else. The only one who knows is Bobby. I took a pregnancy test Friday and found out, unofficial then."

This is yet another reason why I love this woman. She just found out news that I know makes her happy. I know that she regretted not having Ranger's child before he left, and she always dreamed about this moment. But, she is sitting with me, offering me comfort for what we lost. I lose my composure and start to cry in her arms. "Honey, I wasn't sure if this baby was yours or Carlos's until I went to the doctor. I would have wanted this baby if it was yours, and if you wanted to raise this baby with me, I would have. I don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have. I know how much you want a family of your own."

"It's okay, Beautiful. I know that you've always wanted Ranger's child, that not having his child was one of your biggest regrets. I would not want to deny you of your happiness. It is unexpected, and I did have a little bit of hope that this baby was mine. I guessed you were pregnant, and I've been fantasizing about the baby being mine for the last three and half days. I'm sorry. I really am happy for you and Ranger. If you need any help, you know where I am. I will always be there for you, Beautiful."

"I know honey." She kisses me on my cheek and stands up. "Lester, you know I love you."

"Yeah, I know, Beautiful, I know." I get up and walk out of her office. I look at my watch and I need to leave if I'm going to make it to Deal in time. I walk passed Ranger's office and his door is open. I go in and close the door.

"Carlos, congratulations. Steph just told me."

"Thanks, cousin. I'm sorry. We didn't plan on this happening so soon. I wasn't a hundred percent sure the baby was mine until today."

"I know, Steph told me. Look, I'm surprised and shocked and jealous, but I am also really happy for you. I know how much this baby means to Stephanie, and I only wish you the best. Now, I need to leave so I can go take care of your other baby."

"Lester, thank you. You are a much better man than me. I would've taken you to the mats."

"I still might."

I leave Ranger's office and head down to the garage. I go into my car and start driving to Deal. As much as I wish that Stephanie was my fiancé and that she was having my baby, I know that that is not a possibility. But, I will do everything I can to make sure that she, and her child, are safe. Ranger is family, and she will be soon. And, if something were to happen to Ranger, I will be more than happy to step in and protect my Stephanie.

I arrive at the house with about five minutes to spare. I am wondering who this Danny is and why Ranger is allow some man to be alone with Julie. She's a beautiful young woman, and she is the object of many of her classmates' wet dreams. She just doesn't realize it, like Stephanie. That's part of the reason why they get along so well. I see the car pull up. It's a three year old tan Honda CRV. The person driving the car is not a man, it's a woman. But I thought Ranger said their name was Danny.

The car stops and Julie jumps out. She runs over and gives me a hug. "Uncle Lester! You're on Julie watch?"

"Yup, sweetheart. You're stuck with me."

"Yeah! Your just as much fun to be around as Mom-anie."

"Mom-anie?"

"Mom-anie. Mom Stephanie." Julie replies. I got to laugh. She's a riot.

"Does Steph know that you call her that?"

"Yes. She loves it. I want to call her mom, but she gets all pale and nervous when I say that. I don't know why. She will make a wonderful mom someday, but she is so afraid to be one."

"Yes, sweetheart, she will be a great mom someday. Go inside and wash up before you get started on your homework. I'll be in momentarily."

"Okay Uncle Les."

I turn to her escort and finally take a good look at her. She's about 5'4", with long, straight dirty blond hair and brown eyes. She has the same skin tone as Stephanie. She's very pretty in a girl next door way. I extend my hand and introduce myself. "Lester Santos. I'm Ranger's cousin and partner in Rangeman."

She takes my hand and replies, "Danielle Cono, but you can call me Dani. I'm friend with Mariela, Carlos's sister, and I was in basic training with Carlos."

"Are you a teacher at Julie's school?"

"No, I'm the nurse. I went into the Nursing Corps."

"I will be the primary body guard when you drop her off in the afternoon. You are not to leave her unless I am here. The only other people who you can release Julie to, under further notice, are Stephanie and Carlos. If there is a change in plans, either Stephanie, Carlos, or I will call you and let you know. The code word is on this paper. Make sure to ask for it. If we say any other word, it means there is trouble and you are to take her to Trenton."

"Got it. Ranger went over everything with me."

"Um, listen, would you mind going out to dinner with me, maybe Friday night?"

"Oh, Lester, I'm sorry, but I have plans for Friday. What about Saturday?"

"That should work. I'll just double check my work schedule. I'll let you know tomorrow."

"Okay. See you tomorrow, Lester."

"See you tomorrow, Baby."

 **Stephanie's POV**

It's been two hours since I spoke to Lester but my heart still aches for him. He looked so dejected when he realized this baby wasn't his. I know this must be so difficult for him. And to have to be my partner, must make it even harder for him to deal with. Maybe I'll ask Ranger to let Hector be my primary partner. I hear a knock on my door and then Ranger walks in. "Are you ready to tell Ella the good news?"

"Yes, I am. Telling Lester was so hard. I could see that he hoped that this baby was his. Not that I blame him." I pause before continuing. "We had spent many hours, especially in that last month before you returned, talking about starting a family. We were going to wait until after the wedding and start trying during our honeymoon. I didn't want to have any regrets. In our line of work, something could happen to us in an instant, and all of our dreams could be shattered. We even started to think of names. At first, they were ridiculous, like Sandy Santos, but then we started to talk seriously. We had our boy named picked out, though." I have to stop talking, it's making me too sad. And I don't want Ranger to think I have regrets about having his child.

"Babe, what name did you decide on?"

"Carlos Lester Santos. That way, I would always have my Carlos." I start to cry. Ranger comes over to me and picks me up and sits back down with me on his lap. "Babe, you will always have me. You have had me for years. Now, Lester came and spoke to me. He's okay with it. It's just going to take time for him to adjust. He still loves you and will protect you always."

"I know, Carlos, and that's what makes it so much harder to deal with. Damn these pregnancy hormones."

"I know a way that we can change your mood." He pulls me towards him and kisses me deeply. Yeah, definitely a mood changer. "Let's go home, Babe. The sooner we get there, the sooner we have dinner and the sooner we get Julie to her room, the sooner we can celebrate our good news." I hope our celebration involves the bed.

Ranger and I leave my office and we take the elevator to the 6th floor to Ella's apartment. We knock on her door and she lets us is. "Is everything okay?" she asks us.

"Yes, Ella, everything is great. We just need to talk to you about the meals you are making for us." Ranger says.

"Oh, is something wrong?"

"Well, I went to the doctor today and he wants me on a special diet to make sure that I'm taking in the proper nutrients to keep me and the baby healthy." I tell her.

"Why, what's wrong with you and the ba…bab…OH DIOS! You're pregnant?!"

"Yes. My due date is May 27th. Carlos and I were surprised. We just confirmed it today."

She reaches over and gives me a huge hug "Oh, mi hija. I'm so happy for you! After everything you've been through, both you and Ranger, this baby is such a blessing." She turns to Rangers and gives him a hug as well. "Mi hijo, you better be smart and not take any more chances. You messed up with Julie, and have a chance to fix your mistakes, so take advantage of this opportunity. Does Lester know?"

"Yes, I told him. He's understandable upset, but happy for us. Maybe you can make him something special, a cake or something."

"Yes. I'll do that for tomorrow, as long as Ranger approves."

"Yes, Ella, you can make him something with sugar."

"When are you going to tell the men?" Ella asks.

"Tomorrow. We want to tell Julie and Stephanie's father first." Ranger answers.

"Well, then, you better get going. I love you both."

Ranger and I leave and head to my father's apartment. My Spidey sense is going off, and I'm not sure why. "Carlos, something doesn't feel right. I don't know what it is."

"Do you think someone is following us?"

"No, I think something is wrong with my father." I try to keep the fear out of my voice, but I'm starting to sweat and get nervous.

"Babe, I'm sure everything will be okay. Just relax and breathe. You need to stay calm for the baby."

I take deep breathes and try to control my breathing. We pull up to the apartment building. I run out of the car before it is even in park and start going to my father's apartment. Ranger quickly catches up to me and picks me up. "Babe, you need to slow down and relax. If you don't, I'll leave you in the car. Regardless of what we walk into, you need to be calm. An elevated heart rate and blood pressure is not good for our baby."

I let him put me down and we quickly walk to his apartment. I knock on the door. "Dad, are you in there? Dad, it's me, Stephanie, open the door." We don't hear any response. I left my bag in the car. "Carlos, his keys are in my bag in the car."

"Babe." He simply says as he takes tools out of his pocket and quickly picks the lock. We enter into the room and the smell hits me. "Oh my God Ranger, I think he's gone."

"Wait here. Don't not follow me."

Ranger walks into the apartment with his gun drawn to clear it. He comes back to me a few minutes later. "Babe, I'm sorry." I fall in his arms and start to sob. "What happened?" I ask.

"It doesn't look like foul play. I think he just had a heart attack. Let me call Morelli. It's an unattended death."

Ranger takes out his phones and dials Joe's number. "Morelli, it's Ranger."

 _"_ _What's wrong? Is Stephanie okay?"_

"Stephanie is fine, physically, emotionally, though, not as much."

 _"_ _Why?"_

"We just stopped by her father's apartment to see him. He's dead, in his bed. It looks like a heart attack, but I'm no doctor. I just don't see any signs of foul play."

 _"_ _I'll be over and I'll send the ME."_

"Thank you."

Ranger takes me and walks me to the hallway. He closes the door and sits on the floor. I sit on his lap and just curl into him. He calls Lester "Lester, Stephanie's father is gone. We just went to his apartment to tell him. I'm not sure when we'll be home."

 _"_ _Don't worry. I have Julie. We'll be fine. I'll cook dinner for her."_

"Thanks Lester."

 _"_ _Give Beautiful a hug and kiss from me."_

"Will do."

About ten minutes later, Morelli walks down the hall. The ME arrived about two minutes before, so Ranger let them into the apartment. I was standing outside, waiting for Ranger to come back out. Joe walks to me and pulls me into a hug. "I'm so sorry, Cupcake. I know you just started to get your relationship rebuilt with your dad. You didn't need this now. Why did you and Ranger come here anyway?"

"We came here to share some good news with dad."

"Let me guess, you're pregnant."

"Yes, we found out right before we bumped into you at the office and wanted to tell a few people first. We still didn't tell Julie. I needed to Lester before I told anyone else."

"Is the baby his or Ranger's?"

"Rangers. I'm only 7 weeks. My due date is May 27th."

"You're a month behind Laura. Our kids will be growing up together. Wow, how crazy."

"I know. Who would have guess, me a mother?"

"You'll be a great mother. I always knew that about you. You have an ability to love people despite their faults. You want to make everyone happy. Don't be scared, you'll be a natural, Cupcake."

Ranger steps out of the apartment. I know he heard what Joe said, and even though Joe and I are friends, and ONLY friends, there is still a lot of animosity between the two men. "Manoso."

"Morelli."

"How did you enter the apartment?"

"Stephanie forgot her keys in her purse in the car. When her father didn't respond, I opened the door."

Joe put his hands on his hips, looked down, and counted to ten. "Please don't tell me that you picked the locks."

"Fine, I won't tell you."

"Damn it, Manoso. Why couldn't you just go back to the car and get the keys, or go to the super and get the keys?"

"Because Stephanie was about to have full-fledged panic attack and I didn't want her to get worked up. I was trying to keep her as calm as I could. Stress isn't good for her right now. You should know that."

"Cupcake, please tell me you do have the keys. Then I can overlook the B and E."

"Yes, they're in my purse. Let's go get them now, Carlos."

We walk down to the car and find the door unlocked. The contents of my purse and thrown all over the inside of the car and the ground. I go to look for the keys but Ranger pulls me back. He picks up his phone. "Morelli, get down to my car now." He hangs up.

"No phone manners." I say under my breathe while shaking my head.

"Babe." Ranger says, obviously amused. Morelli come's storming down. "Now what?" He asks with his hands on his hips.

"Someone broke into my car. They dump Stephanie's purse. I don't know what they took yet."

Joe hands me some gloves and tells me to look through and try and take inventory after he takes pictures with his phone. I take my bag and start picking up my items. Cuffs, stun gun, mini Glock, pepper spray, wallet, nail file, brush, mirror, mascara, lip gloss, phone, gum, mints, mouth wash, tampons (which I don't need for a while), package of tissues, receipts, pens, hair ties, spare change, and ear buds. I look under the seats, in the door, the glove box, under the car and then collapse on my backside in the parking lot. "My keys are missing. The keys to the house, Haywood, and my dad's apartment."

"Check your wallet, Babe." Ranger says while calling Lester. I look in my wallet. Fuck. "My driver's license is missing. It shows Lester's house as my address. I haven't gotten around to change it yet."

"Lester, someone broke into my car and stole Stephanie's keys. They also have her license. It lists your house as her residence."

 _"_ _She should still have my keys. I never took them back."_

"Stephanie, did you have Lester's keys in your bag?"

"Yes." I feel dizzy, violent, and scared shitless. Who is doing this to me and why?

"Steph said she still has your keys. They're gone."

 _"_ _Let me talk to her."_

"In a moment. Do NOT let Julie out of your sight. Call Dani and ask her to come to the house. Have Julie pack a bag. We're moving to a different safe house. Call Hector and tell him to reprogram Steph's code so her fobs are deactivated. Lock down the house and keep Julie safe. Here's Stephanie."

 _"_ _Steph, don't worry about the keys. I'll get the locks changed. Are you okay, Beautiful?"_

"Yeah, no, I don't know. I'm just in shock. Too much at one time."

 _"_ _Just try and relax and stay calm. You don't want to get too upset or you'll hurt the baby."_

"I'm sorry I didn't change my license or give you back the keys."

 _"_ _There's nothing to be sorry about. You did nothing wrong. I love you and I just want you to be okay. I know the risks I signed up for. I'm not concerned. No one is there now, so no one can get hurt. It's just a house and material things. I am only worried about your safety and Julie's. Now, let me go help her pack until Dani gets here."_

"Bye Les."

 _"_ _Bye Beautiful."_

I feel miserable that Lester's house may be unsafe because I wasn't being smart. Now I know why Ranger's official id is an empty lot. What more can go wrong tonight.

"Cupcake, you need to learn to be more careful with you stuff. You can't just leave your purse with all that stuff anywhere so the wrong people can get their hands on it. Where's your S & W?"

"That's my clutch piece. I don't use it. I prefer the mini Glock. I only use it when I go out fully dressed."

"I can't believe that all these years later you're still being careless." I see Ranger getting aggravated with Morelli. It's amazing how whenever they are together, Joe because an ass again.

"Morelli, you need to shut your mouth right now. Steph and I pulled up here and her Spidey sense went off. She felt like something was wrong with her father and was out of the car before I even parked it. She was running into the building getting hysterical. I had to literally pick her up and threated to lock her in the car if she didn't calm down. I didn't even think of her purse at the time. My car was lock and it should have been safe. We went to check on her father and found him dead. She did nothing wrong. You need to stop blaming her and stop telling her she's careless or incompetent. She was with me and there should not have been any problems. Now, find out you broke into my car and who has access to my home, where my daughter is, my business, and my cousin's home instead of berating Stephanie."

"If you stopped coddling her every time she fucked up she wouldn't be so incompetent." Morelli responded. I didn't understand where this anger came from. He seemed perfectly fine upstairs.

"Morelli, Stephanie is no longer your concern. She is not your girlfriend. You have a wife, you have a child and a second one on the way. You, of all people, should understand the importance of a pregnant woman remaining calm and in control. Stephanie is my fiancé and therefore, my responsibility, and if I feel that she does something that purposely causes herself, my daughter, my men, or myself to be in danger, I will tell her, but not in public and not by yelling and raging. But, as I already told you, she did nothing wrong tonight. Now, go do you cop thing so I can get Stephanie and my daughter to a safe location."

"She was so much better off with Santos. You should've stayed dead. It was better for her and better for Trenton." My relationship with Joe finally became clear to me. Joe didn't really love me, I think he stopped shortly after Scrog, but he didn't want to give in Ranger, he didn't want to lose to him. Before Ranger left, we had a strained friendship. We weren't very close, but we didn't get angry when we saw each other. It was only when we all thought that Ranger was dead that we started to have a true friendship. And up until Lester and I broke up, he was calling me two to three times a week. Since Ranger's been back and we've been together, he hasn't called once. I get up and stand between Ranger and Joe.

"Joseph Morelli, you are a fucking asshole. You strung me along for almost two years when you knew you didn't love me just so you would save face and not 'lose' to Ranger. Then, when your competition for my affections was gone and thought dead, you suddenly became the friend I always hoped you would be. The minute Ranger returned and we got back together you abandoned me as a friend. It's your 'ego' that needs to be stroked. You hate that you aren't the hottest guy in Trenton. You hate that if any woman in Trenton had to choose between you and Ranger, most would choose Ranger. You hate that he survived again, and is held in higher esteem than. You are nothing but a jealous, egotistical and arrogant man. I understand why Laura hates me. You are obsessed with me still. And this outburst occurred because I am standing here ready to give Ranger something that you wanted that I didn't want with you. Well, unless you decide that my friendship is more important to you than your rivalry with Ranger, do not bother to contact me. And Morelli, fuck you."

I turn walk towards Hector who had arrived with Tank a few minutes earlier. He places his arms around me and says, "Hermana, that was great. You make be proud, Angelita. Come, sit in the car until it's time for you to go. You shouldn't be stressed out." He then whispers in my ear, "It's bad for the bebe." I turn around just in time to see the ME take my father's body out into the awaiting vehicle for transportation to the morgue. I start to cry again and Hector holds me in his arms and comforts me like only my brother could. About twenty minutes later, we are cleared to leave. As we start to drive to Deal, I tell Ranger to stop. "Carlos, I have to tell Valerie." He nods and turns the car back to the Burg to Val's house. Even though we really talk, she is still my sister. I knock on the door. She answers it in a dress suitable for an at home business dinner.

"What do you want. I'm busy. Albert is entertaining potential clients."

"Valerie, I'm sorry to interrupt your evening, but it's important that we talk, in private, now." I respond.

"Follow me to the kitchen. Ranger, if you want to head into the dining room, you may. There's coffee, cake and fruit out." I nod to Ranger to let him know I'm okay.

Once we get to the kitchen, we sit across from each other at the table. "Val, Carlos and I stopped at dad's tonight to tell him that we're expecting our first child in May. When we arrived at his apartment, he didn't answer the door. I was worried, so Ranger and I entered the apartment. Ranger found him in his bed, dead. The cops think he died last night, in his sleep, from a heart attack. They will perform an autopsy on him to confirm."

"Why are you here? Do you think I care? After you, poor lonely Stephanie, his pumpkin, left for California, mommy and daddy basically stopped talking to each other. Dad blamed mom for you being unhappy and she said that it was your fault because you don't know your place. I agreed with mom. Since then, dad has rarely spoken to me and only pays attention to Mary Alice, who is just as crazy as you. I haven't seen daddy or spoken to him since mom and grandma died, so he's been dead to me since then. I will not help you with the funeral, nor will I or my daughters attend. Please do not step foot on my property again. Leave with your sugar daddy. You are no sister of mine."

I was shocked at what she said, and I was scared for Mary Alice. I will have to find a way to make sure she isn't breaking Mary Alice's spirit like mom broke mine. I was afraid that I might have to intervene. I'll ask Ranger if he can help me keep an eye on my niece. I enter the dining room and see none other than Mr. and Dr. Reyes, Ranger's sister and brother-in-law. Apparently, they needed Albert to help set up non-for-profit, and because Albert was my brother-in-law, decided to give him a shot. I walk over to Celia and give her a big hug and kiss. "Celia, it's so nice to see you here. I'm surprised you are back in Trenton." I turn to her husband, "Marco, it's been awhile."

"Yes, it had. My brother's been hiding himself, you, and Julie from us since he's been back. Mama's going to flip when she hears that I saw you tonight." She looks in my eyes, then her brother's eyes, "What's wrong, Carlos? Is Steph okay?"

"Celia, we have some great news and some bad news. The bad news is Stephanie and Valerie's father died sometime last night from an apparent heart attack. Steph and I discovered him when we went to tell him our great news, which is that we are engaged, again, and are expecting our first child in May."

Celia looks back and forth from me to her brother and back, before jumping out of her chair and giving her brother a huge bear hug. "Dios, Carlos, that's wonderful news. Do Mama and Papi know?"

"Si, I called them before they left for Miami."

"Stephanie, this is wonderful news. I know you and Carlos will make great parents. On the other hand, I'm so sorry about your father. I know that you are devastated." She gives me a huge hug and a kiss. I look at Ranger and he senses my desire to run from the house. He stands so we can leave.

"Valerie, Albert, we're sorry for interrupting your dinner party. I hope you will forgive us, but we must get back to my daughter. She's probably wondering where we are."

"Julie esta aqui, in New Jersey?" (Julie is in NJ?)

"Si, mi hermana." Ranger continues. "Lester esta en la casa con ella." (Yes, my sister. Lester is with her at the house.)

"Dios mio, que pasa?" (My God, what's wrong?)

"Las hermanas no se llevan bien. Nos han pedido que nos vayamos." (The sisters don't get along. We've been asked to leave.)

"Really? Call me tomorrow, Carlos."

"I will, Celia."

We hug and kiss Celia and Marco good bye and leave my sister's house for the last time.

XXXXXXXXX

 **Author's Note: Thank you for all the reviews. I'm a Babe, and there was no way that this baby would be anyone's other than Carlos. We will be getting back to Dalton soon. There was some more ground work laid in this chapter. We will also see where Lester and Dani will go. Please keep reviewing and happy reading.**


	7. Who to Trust

**The characters belong to JE, the stories are mine, with some borrowing from cannon for authenticity.**

 **Chapter 7: Who to Trust**

 **Dani's POV**

Lester, now there's someone who was unexpected. I was trying to remember him, but I don't think I ever met him. I think he was deployed most of the times when I was around the Manosos, but he is fine. Not quite as fine as Ranger, but then again, no one is, Ranger is one of a kind. I'm still interested in meeting Stephanie. I wonder what this woman looks like who finally tamed Carlos Manoso. He was my dream, from when I first met Mariela in the ninth grade. Carlos was living with his grandmother in Miami, but when he came up for the holidays, damn, he was fine. I remember flirting around, trying to get his attention, but he just ignored me. Probably for the better. Then when we wound up in basic together, I thought I had a shot, but I quickly realized that he was out of my league, and a relationship with him would not be possible. The king of the one-night stands. He became a brother to me, watching my back and making sure the other guys treated me with respect. I started to love him then, but in a completely platonic way.

And now, someone has finally tamed him. Made him stop screwing every woman he met and settle down. She must be beautiful, movie star beautiful, because I can't see him with anyone as plain as me. But Lester is interested in me. He asked me out. I should call Mariela and ask her about him, but I kind of want to learn about him on my own. My phone rings and I pick it up.

"Hello"

 _"_ _Dani, it's Lester, we have a problem."_

"What's wrong?"

 _"_ _Stephanie's keys and ID have been stolen. Someone has access to this house, Trenton, and my home. I'm waiting for Ranger and Stephanie to come here, but they want you here as well as extra backup. Can you please come?"_

"Of course. I'll be there within 20. I just need to grab my go bag."

 _"_ _Thanks Dani. See you soon, Baby."_

Baby, that's something I've never been called before, and I think I like it. A pet name. Hmm, maybe this does have potential with Mr. Lester Santos.

I go to my bedroom and grab my go back. It has a change of clothes for one week, toiletries, a first aid kit, and my sat phone. I got to my safe a pull out my alternate IDs. I'm not sure what I'll need, but I will be ready. I set my out of town program, which will turn on the light, TV, and music at different times of the day and night to mimic someone being home. It's better than the standard timers. I lock and alarm my home and get in the car to go and meet Lester and Julie.

 **Julie's POV**

Something is up. Uncle Lester is in a panic mode. I heard him call Dani to come here with us. All of this happened after Mom-anie called. I hope she and my father are okay. Then he came up here and told me to pack some stuff. I have picked out about ten different outfits, pjs, and underwear. I am trying to pack my make-up and toiletries. I guess I should take my girl stuff. I know Mom-anie has plenty, but I feel better having my own.

Something is up with Dad and Mom-anie. I'm not sure what, but they are acting weird, and it's all been since Saturday. I hope she's okay. And, what was up with Uncle Lester and Dani today? He asked her out to dinner! A date? Does that mean that he's finally over Stephanie? I would hope so, because he hasn't been as much fun lately since they broke up. He could use his own girlfriend. Dani would be perfect for him. She's a lot like Mom-anie, but tougher. She was in the Army, after all. But, she is just a sweet and kind. I really like her and wouldn't mind her becoming Aunt Dani. Well, I guess I'll just have to try and push them together more, play matchmaker. It'll be fun. I hear a car pull up and glance out the window. It's Dani. I wonder what's taking Dad and Mom-anie so long. They were supposed to be here hours ago. Sigh. Hopefully they'll be here soon. I'll text dad. **Hey dad, where r u? u almost home? Momanie ok?** I start putting all my stuff in my large duffle bag. Thank goodness it all fits in. My phone pings. **Almost there, sweetheart. 5 min**.

Good. I can't wait.

 **Ranger's POV**

"Stephanie, are you okay?"

"No, I'm a fucking mess. I'm pregnant with a baby I wasn't expecting, but that I desperately wanted, I found my father dead in his bed, my sister doesn't care about our father dying and will not help nor attend the wake or funeral for him, and has kicked me out of her life completely. I'm afraid she is destroying Mary Alice the way mom destroyed me, and Morelli doesn't really care about me, only that you didn't win. On top of it all, your car got broken into, my keys have been stolen with my ID, now, all the places where I have ever felt safe, aren't safe because I was impulsive and reactive as always and jumped out of the car without taking my purse with me. I am a fucking disaster. You'd think I would've learned after these years."

"Babe, you are not a disaster. Don't let Morelli's words hurt you. He's a jackass, and always has been. You did nothing wrong. My car is supposed to be secure. As a matter of fact, it has never gotten broken into before. And, only once did it even get jacked, and that was when you were in it. You had no reason to suspect or expect it to be unsecured. I don't blame you. As for your sister, it was to be expected. Your father basically ignored her since your mother and grandmother died, so you said, and blamed them for you leaving. So why would she mourn him? With Mary Alice, I understand your concerns. I will try and find out what's going on with her, and if she is not in a good place with Val and Albert, I will do everything in my power to have her taken into our custody. I will not allow another generation of Plum girls be abused."

"Where are we going to go? Julie has school, we have work. Dios, this is so fucked up."

"Babe, we'll go back to Haywood. It's the most secure location. Once we get a chance to change security codes and overhaul our security in Deal, we'll be back. I've already gotten a message to Ramos. He will have his guards monitor our home once we leave and will take anyone into custody that doesn't belong. You made an important friend in Alexander Ramos all those years ago."

"We're going to tell Julie tonight, right?"

"Yes. I think she'll be excited for us, Mom-anie."

"She is a riot. I don't know where she came up with that. But, now that I'm going to me a mom, maybe I can tell her to drop the -anie."

"She said you panicked every time she called you mom, and Stephanie was just too impersonal for her, thus, mom-anie."

We pull into our complex in Deal. I see Dani's car and Lester's car out front. I park behind them and we go into the house quickly. Lester sees us first, and walks over to Stephanie, "Beautiful, I'm so sorry. I know your father meant the world to you. You know that he would be so happy for you right now."

"Yes, I do, which makes it even harder."

"You know if you need anything, Beautiful."

"Yeah, I know, honey."

"Where's Julie?" Ranger asks.

"She's upstairs with Dani. By the way, why didn't you tell me Dani was a woman?"

"I though you knew it was Mariela's friend, we were in basic together."

"That Dani. I didn't even recognize her."

"Are you all set to leave?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow I'll take a few guys to check out my place."

"Lester, I'm sorry."

"Don't, Steph. It's fine. Really."

"Babe, let's go upstairs and tell Julie."

I take Stephanie and we walk upstairs to her bedroom. We hear her and Dani laughing. I knock on the door. "Jules, can I come in with Steph?"

She throws open the door and jumps in my arms. I never get tired of this greeting from my girls. Then she gives Stephanie an equally big huge, only keeping her feet planted on the ground. "Dad, Mom-anie, you're home! Is everything okay? Where are we going and why?"

"Julie, relax. I'll tell you in a moment. Give Steph some room to breathe. Babe, this is Dani Cono, she's a friend of my sister Mariela and we were in basic training together. She went into the nurse corps. Dani, this is my fiancé, Stephanie Plum."

"Nice to meet you, Dani. I'm glad that you are willing to help us with Julie."

"Nice to meet you too. I was wondering about the woman who tamed Carlos." I shake my head. What did Mariela tell her?

"Julie is done packing. I'll go down and see if Lester needs any help." Dani says before leaving the room.

Once Dani leaves, a turn to my daughter, "Julie, please sit down for a moment." She sits on her bed. "Querida, Stephanie and I discovered her father dead tonight of what appears to be a heart attack. While we were checking on him, my car got broken into and Stephanie's keys and ID were stolen. We are heading back to Trenton until we can make sure that his house is safe and secure."

"Oh no, are you okay, Mom-anie? I'm sorry." Julie give Stephanie a big hug.

"Well, Julie, I'm a little overwhelmed, but I feel better now. However, I think it's time for you to stop calling me Mom-anie and just call me mom. I'm going to have to get used to it now that your father and I are expecting a baby in May."

"I'm going to be a big sister? Really? That's great news! I'm so excited for you, Dad, and you, Mom." Julie exclaims while giving us both another huge hug.

"I understand that you are packed and ready to go?" I ask her.

"Yes. I am. Are we leaving now?"

"In five minutes. Steph and I just need to get a few things and then we'll be ready to go. Go downstairs and wait with Uncle Lester and Dani."

"Okay Daddy." Julies says before skipping down the hall.

Stephanie and I leave Julie's room and head to our own. "What do we need to get, Carlos?"

"Nothing." I grab her around the waist and pull her towards me. I give her a deep kiss. Our tongues meet and tango with each other. Finally, when we can't breathe anymore, we pull away. "I've been wanted to kiss you like that all day. I also want to spend time with you in our bed, but that's not going to happen until we get to the house in Trenton."

"How's Julie getting to school?"

"Dani will take her and bring her home. She'll be staying with us along with Lester."

"Oh boy, that will be interesting."

"What do you mean, Babe?"

She shakes her head and looks at me. "Carlos, she resembles me a little. We have the same skin tone, the similar colored hair, she's shorter, but has a similar build. The only two big differences are her brown eyes and straight hair."

"Oh shit. This could be interesting. Maybe it will be good for Lester."

"Either that, or it will be a disaster."

"Come one, Babe, let's go downstairs and get out of here."

We walk down the stairs to meet with Julie, Dani and Lester, and now that Stephanie has pointed it out, I see the similarities. I also see that there is an attraction between Lester and Dani. I wonder how this will work out.

"We're ready to roll. We are all going in my Cayenne. I'll send some guys to pick your car, Lester and Dani's car, tomorrow." We go outside and get into the car. As much as I want Steph in the front, she lets Lester sit shotgun. He's taller and needs the room. She sits in the back with Julie between her and Dani. We start to drive out of the gate and meet up with our guard to take us back to Trenton. I have a feeling Dalton is behind this, but I don't know where he is right now. Lester and I are focused on looking for tails or anyone who shouldn't be where they are. Steph falls asleep within 10 minutes of leaving, not that I blame her, she's had a very emotional day. Julie follows her to sleep about 10 minutes later, leaving Dani, Lester, and I awake and aware of what's going on.

Fortunately, our trip back to Trenton in uneventfully. We arrive at the safe house and park in the attached garage. "Babe, Querida, you need to get up. We're at the house." Both of my loves wake up. Julie is annoyed, and it's clear she just wants to see her room and go back to sleep. Steph opens her eyes, and her Burg hostess manners jump into play. She snaps awake and gets out of the car. She helps Julie out and grabs her bag. Julie is too tired to stand. I laugh at her and pick her up.

"Querida, I'll take you to your room and you can investigate the house tomorrow. Okay?"

"Thanks Dad." Julie says as her head curls against my shoulder. Stephanie follows me to Julie's bedroom. Once I put her on her bed, Stephanie shoos me out to help Julie get changed for bed. I go downstairs to secure the house with Lester and Dani.

"Everything secured, Santos?"

"Yes. Gate and perimeter secured. The camera feeds are all up and running. Monitoring is being done back at HQ and I already spoke to Tank to tell him we're here."

"This another beautiful home, Ranger."

"Thanks. I always thought of the Deal house as more of a summer home and this house as our home, if Steph wants it, that is."

"I love it. It's just the right size for us." Stephanie says as she comes down to join us. She stands next to me and I pull her into a kiss. "Give us the tour."

I show everyone the large, eat-in kitchen, dining room, living room, office, family room, and bathroom on the mail level. In the basement is a home gym, with all the latest equipment, laundry room, and wine cellar. Then, we head upstairs. On the left side of the center staircase are my family's rooms, so we go to the right side first. I show Lester his room with his own bathroom and Dani her room with bathroom. Then, there are two other bedrooms and a bathroom. On the left side is Julie's suite, which has a small office area, bedroom and bathroom, a second suite of equal size to Julie's, and the master suite. Stephanie and I have our own large, bathroom with a shower, spa tub, and dual sink vanity, a large walk-in closet/dressing room, and small sitting area. We have a large, king sized bed, two nightstands, and a triple dresser. There's a door off to the side which leads to an office that is big enough for two desks. I see the look on Stephanie's face and she's in awe of the home. I can tell she loves it. Our side is over the garage, so we have more space than the right side of the house. By this point, it is after eleven, and I can tell that Stephanie is tired. I look at Lester and we conclude that there's nothing else to be done tonight. "I guess now is as good a time as any to retire for the evening. Julie has school tomorrow, so we'll meet at 0500 to discuss security plans for tomorrow. Is that good for you and Dani?"

"That works for me. I'm usually up at 0400." Dani replies.

"You know I'll be there." Lester states.

We turn to Stephanie. She looks at us like we are crazy. "If you don't need me, I'll just sleep." I laugh, and so does Lester.

"Babe, unfortunately, you have to be in on the meeting."

"I swear, you are all nuts. None of you are normal." She says before walking over to Lester and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Night honey." "Night Beautiful." He replies. She walks to Dani and give her a hug. "It was great to meet you. If you need anything, let me know. Night Dani." With that, she turns to the bathroom to begin getting ready.

"Night." I say to my friends. I watch Lester and Dani walk towards their rooms and I can see that Lester is smitten with Dani. I smile. I was hoping for this to happen. I close and lock the door, and turn to see my Babe walk out of the bathroom with nothing on but a black, sheer nightie and a black thong. I smile at her, and know that I won't be getting to sleep soon.

 **Stephanie's POV**

Today has been an exhausting day. It seems like I have lived a week in this one day. From confirming that I'm pregnant with Carlos's child, which is a dream that I have had for the last three years, to finding my father dead, being disowned by Valerie, and having to move to a new safe house, it's just crazy. I don't understand Joe, though. Why does he hate Carlos so much? Why does his hatred of Carlos cause him to hate me and treat me so cruel? He became one of my best friends and confidants when I thought I lost Ranger, and now, he has resorted to his old ways. Maybe I'll call Lauren, though I know she hates me. I sigh. Looking in the mirror, I know what I need now, more than anything, is Carlos's arms around me, his body next to mine and his manhood inside me. I put on a nightie and thong that I was saving for some special night, and it seems that breaking in a new bed is special enough. I hear him close the door and lock it. I open the bathroom door and step out. He turns and looks at me. He smiles, while his eyes turn dark and dilate with desire.

In four steps he's in front of me, arms around my waist, pulling me close to his body. His mouth is on my mouth, and I part my lips to allow his tongue entrance. We kiss, a feral kiss full of desire, lust, and passion. God, I never tire of this man, this Cuban sex God. He is the air I breathe, my reason for living. His one hand is running up and down my spine, gently touching my skin while his other hand is holding me close to him. I feel him harden in anticipation. I don't want slow tonight. I don't want multiple rounds. I want him fast, hard, and now. I reach my hands down to the hem of his t-shirt and pull it up over his head. I start to unbutton his cargos and pull down his pants. As usual, he's commando, so his cock just falls out and into my waiting hands. I stroke him, and wrap my hand around him to make sure he is fully at attention.

"Babe, slow down."

"No. I wanted you an hour ago. I need to feel you inside me. I need to know that I'm alive, that you're alive, that our love is alive. Carlos, take me now, take me fast, take me hard."

"Are you sure, querida? Mi amor?"

"Yes, Carlos, I'm sure."

He takes his hand and rubs my core through the thin piece of material that masquerades as panties to make sure I'm ready for him. He pulls the aforementioned panties off and kneels to take my core in his mouth. He licks and sucks my clit, places two fingers inside me, and works to make sure that I am thoroughly wet and ready to take him inside me. God, his mouth is magic. I am getting close to a climax when he stops and stand up. He kisses me and picks me up. I feel his hard member against my core. He pushes my back against the wall and lines my center up with him. I feel him moving inside me and he pushes in and out of me with my back against the wall, holding me up with his strength. His kisses are on my neck, my shoulder, my breasts. He's playing with my nipple with one hand while the other is wrapped around my waist, helping to keep us together. He takes his hand away from my nipple and brings it down between us and rubs my core. I feel my explosion building; his cock is quivering inside as we are both readying for our climax. Finally, my muscles tighten around him and we both come together. Carlos is leaning against me and the wall, and I am trying to keep my legs wrapped around him, but we eventually slide to the floor. I rest my head on his shoulder and kiss his neck.

"Thank you, Carlos."

"For what, Babe?"

"For loving me, for being everything I need and more. For making me feel complete and loved like no one ever has, and for giving me the opportunity to be the mother to your child, and the mother of our child."

"Babe, my child is your child."

"I was referring to Julie."

"You feel like a mother to her?"

"Yes, in ways I never thought possible. There is a part of me that would love for Julie to live with us full time, but I know Rachel won't give her up so easily."

"I'm not so sure about that, Babe, at least not anymore, but we'll talk about this more another day. If either one of us is going to be at the meeting at 0500, we better get into bed and sleep." With that, we both slowly get up and somehow, make our way into bed. The moment I feel Ranger's arms wrap around me, I close my eyes and allow sleep to take over.

Ranger's watch goes off and wakes me up. "Ugh, what time is it?"

"It's four, Babe. I'm going to take my shower and when I'm done, I'll get you up. Go back to sleep for a little while." Ranger leans over and kisses my forehead. A half hour later, he's back, waking me up with a cup of coffee in one hand and his other hand waking up a different part of me.

"Unless you plan on following through, move your hand away." I growl at him.

"Unfortunately, Babe, twenty minutes is not enough time for what I have in mind. Maybe after our briefing, if you're a good girl."

I give him my best Burg glare and take a huge gulp of coffee. I feel my neurons awaken, and I get up to get ready for my day. I come out of the bathroom twenty minutes later with my hair in a ponytail, some mascara and lip gloss on, and head into the closet. I pull out a pair of black jean and one of Ranger's t-shirts. I'm good to go.

I walk, hand in hand, with Ranger downstairs to the office. We are there before Lester and Dani, so I get the coffee started and heat up some muffins that Ella had stocked when she found out we were staying here yesterday evening. Dani arrived first, wearing a cute floral top, beige straight legged dress pants, and bone flats. Her hair was half up in a clip, with minimal make up on. She saw that the coffee was ready and pour herself a cup and sat down on one of the visitor's chairs.

"Morning, Steph, Ranger. This house is fabulous and my room is perfect. Thank you."

"I'm glad you're comfortable. Let me know if there is anything you need." Ranger responds. I hear the timer go off for the muffins so I go into the kitchen and take them out of the oven. Lester enters as I am pulling them out of the oven and I almost back up into him. Instinctively, he puts his arms around my waist to catch me as a fall back into him. "I got you, Beautiful." Lester says.

 _I woke up early the morning after he proposed and decided to cook him breakfast. Ella has been teaching me a few things and I decided to make his favorite chocolate chip muffins. I got all the ingredients ready, and whipped them up easily. I had them in the oven cooking, waiting for him to finish with his workout. The bell goes off and the muffins are done. I pull them out and place the pan on the trivet on the counter after closing the oven. I step back to get the butter out of the fridge when I back into Lester, fresh from his shower. His arms come around my waist and he kisses my head. "Good morning Beautiful, isn't this a pleasant surprise." I turn my head to face him and our mouths meet. We kiss each other deeply, passionately. I turn around and place my hands around his neck and picks me up. I wrap my legs around his waist and he walks me to the island behind us where he sits me down before assaulting my body with his hands and mouth._

"Babe, is everything okay?" Lester and I hear Ranger call and come into the kitchen and we both break out of our stupor. I'm sure that we were both thinking back to that same morning, when things were a little less complicated between us. As much as I hate to admit it, there is still a spark of chemistry between us, I'm sure heightened by the fact that we had loved each other, in our minds, hearts and body. Lester lets go of me.

"Are you okay, Beautiful?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just clumsy as always." Lester grabs a muffin from the tray and heads into the office. Ranger comes over to me and wraps his arms around me. I place my head on his should and start to cry.

"It's okay, Babe. I know that this isn't easy for you or Lester. Being cooped up in the same house together isn't helping the awkwardness. I know you need time apart to get yourselves more balanced, but to be honest, aside from Hector, he is the only one I truly trust. Bobby and Tank both knew where we were and what we were doing yesterday, and that concerns me. It was Dalton who found us and stole your stuff. You don't need to hide your memories from me or be afraid of how I will react. Just as long as I don't find you kissing or worse, I don't care. Lean on Lester if you need to, he's my cousin and I love him."

"I'm sorry, I just always feel so guilty when I remember some of those moments we shared. I feel guilty because they are all just a memory for Lester, because the moment I found out you were alive, I was no longer his. It's sad because we started to build a future together, one that was filled with hopes and dreams, and they all shattered. I feel guilty towards you because I feel like I am cheating you when I think of those moments that were often intimate between Lester and I, and I fear, that at some point in time, when we are caught up in a memory, we may forget that it's over between us. I never want to hurt you like that. I love you. You are my life, Carlos, my reason for living. When I thought you died, a small part of my died with you. I don't ever want to feel that way again."

"Babe, I told you, I understand. And I love you. Querida, tu eres mi amor, mi vida. Para siempre." He leans in and gives me a kiss that shows just what we both mean to each other.

"What did you say?"

"Darling, you are my love, my life. Forever." He whispers into my ear. I sink further into his arms. He laughs. "Come on, we better get this meeting started before Julie gets up." With that, I place the muffins on a plate, grab the butter, and carry them into the office while Ranger carries the coffee pot and some mugs.

 **Dani's POV**

Mariela never prepared me for what life would be like working for her brother. Not that I mind. I miss the action of being on the front lines. Working in the Nursing Corps was never dull or boring. But there is only so much of shattered spirits that you can see before it starts to get to you. I was great at working with those men and women who came back from their mission missing limbs. I knew how to help them through the physical pain, the emotional turmoil, and the psychological torment. My superiors said I had a gift for understanding just what they needed. While many of these soldiers often fell into deep depressions, and sometimes, check out on this life, that never happened on my watch, until John Anthony Morelli came to me.

 _He was an Airforce pilot, who was shot down on a training run. When he ejected from his plane, he was able to open his parachute. However, it failed as he came close to earth. When he landed, he shattered his leg in such a way that it could not be repaired, and it had to be amputated. He had found out that his cousin, Joe, was in a close call, but survived without a scratch. He was the golden boy back home. The bad boy, the playboy, who made girls beg for him. He had taken the virginity of over 50 girls back home, and never was a night without a bed partner when he was on leave or off base. He had the looks, the charm and the swagger that John could never capture. John dreamed of finding the love of his life, his soulmate, while Joe only dreamed of getting laid by as many women as he could. John finally found a girl, Lisa. She was his everything. When he wrote her, and told her what happened, and that when he got home he was going to be discharged and was going to go to school to become an accountant, she wrote him back that they were through. She was pregnant, and she was having the baby. It wasn't his. She said she was sorry, but that she couldn't wait for him. When he asked who the father was, he knew he had nothing to live for. Joseph Anthony Morelli, his cousin, was the father. He asked her if Joe knew about the baby. She said he did and he wanted nothing to do with her or the baby. She was fine with that, though, she wanted to raise this child on her own. John told her he would raise the baby as his own and help her, but she didn't want a broken man. She wanted a whole, healthy, vibrant man, and he wasn't it. That night, he took his knife from dinner and slit his wrists. I found him the next morning when she came on shift. She knew what had happened, and couldn't reach him. I vowed to make Joe Morelli pay is I ever met him, but John broke my spirit and I couldn't stay there much longer._

I escaped from my thoughts when I see Lester come in. He looks like a lost puppy, sad and resigned.  
"What's wrong, Les?"

"My life."

"You're life? You see to like you job, you have great friends and family, how is your life wrong?"

He sighs and looks at me. "To make a long story short, Carlos and Stephanie have been an almost couple for many years. Finally, five years ago, they became an official couple. A year later, Carlos got called out on one final mission. A year later, we were told that he was dead. Stephanie was devastated. He was the love of her life. I was devastated because Carlos is the brother that I always wanted. I am closer to him than anyone else in my family. Steph escaped to California. I would visit her there, and we became close, sharing in our grief over Carlos. Then about a year and a half ago, her mother and grandmother died tragically in a car accident. She had to return to help care for her father. It was then that we started to date. We got engaged, and our wedding was supposed to be on Halloween, Steph favorite holiday. Then, Carlos returns, he wasn't dead after all. Stephanie had never stopped loving Carlos, and I wasn't surprised when she decided she wanted him over me, but I'm still getting used to it. It's sometimes awkward being together so much. But, Carlos thinks that someone close is betraying him, and aside from me and Hector, he doesn't trust anyone. I would never do anything to harm Steph because he knows that I will always love her, so I have to protect her. But, every now and again, we share a moment that takes us back. Carlos is a very jealous and possessive man when it comes to Stephanie, and I don't want to cross him or make him insecure."

"Lester, I don't think that will ever happen. I'm sure Steph feels the same way you do. Carlos knows that what the three of you have been through isn't easy on any of you, so I know that he will give you time and space to heal. If you ever need to talk, I'm here. As a relative outsider, I may be able to help you more than anyone else."

"Thank you, Dani, I may take you up on that offer."

At that moment, the office door opens and Stephanie and Ranger come in with muffins and coffee. They sent them down on the desk. Steph selects a muffin, takes some butter, and goes to sit in one of the chairs in front of the desk but Ranger pulls her to him and into his lap. She leans into him and I can see the love that they share fill the room. They have a special bond, I could see it the moment I first laid eyes on them together. She may have loved Lester, but she never would or did have this connection to him. I know that this move on Ranger's part is to mark his territory, but it also shows no hard feelings.

 **Ranger's POV**

I have Steph sitting in my lap. I know this is probably being perceived as me taking possession of her, but it's really because I just need to hold her, to feel her in my arms so that I know that she is safe. Knowing that Dalton was that close to her yesterday still has me rattled. I can't lose Stephanie, especially not now that she is carrying our child.

"Okay, so here's what we know. Hector was able to check some cameras near Frank's apartment building and has Dalton on camera. He was the one who broke into my car and stole Stephanie's keys and ID. He somehow knew where we were. I only told Tank and Bobby what our plans were. Babe, did you talk to anyone?"

"I spoke to Lula. She called me to tell me that she was excited the Kim was planning on coming back to visit for Thanksgiving and the Mooner was going to relocate to Denver. Something about legalized pot and going into business. I told her we were going to check on my father and then head home."

"Did you know that she and Kim were talking?"

"Yes. They hit it off well and I was happy. They are a lot of fun to be around."

"Okay, so until we find out more information, we have to be guarded about who we tell anything to. Lester, who did you speak to at HQ about monitoring the house?"

"I spoke to Hector on his sat phone."

"Okay. Tell no one where we are staying. Is that clear." Everyone shook their head in the affirmative. "Dani, I need you to take Julie to and from school each day. Be on the lookout for a tail. I'll have Lester follow you to make sure you're okay. Babe, unless you are with me, Hector or Lester, you are in the house or in HQ. Understand? No going out on your own."

"Sir, yes sir." She said with a smirk.

"Wise ass."

By now it was six and Julie is about to get up to get ready for school. "Stephanie, Dani can you go talk to Julie about the arrangements?"

"Yeah, no problem. Let's bring her up a muffin."

"Sounds good." Dani replied.

Once they both left the office, I turned to my cousin. "Lester, I know what I'm asking you to do is not easy on you or Stephanie. It's something I wish I didn't have to do. I trust you and I trust Stephanie. I know that you sometimes get lost in the what ifs and the memories of what was. You don't need to hide it from me."

"Look, this morning, she was taking the muffins out and back up into me. I put my arms around her to steady her, to catch her, and then got lost."

"I get it. I really do, Lester."

"I miss what we had, Carlos. And I'm still angry and everything that happened to us. But, I will never betray your trust or Stephanie's. I will make sure that Dalton doesn't get the opportunity to taka anything else away from you or her again."

"I know that, and that is why, right now, the only three people I trust explicitly to protect Stephanie and our child, and Julie are you, Dani, and Hector."

With that, we get up and give each other a hug. We are family, of course, and this is normal, just not for anyone else to see.

"Lester, I need you to promise me something."

"What?"

"Say the words, Lester."

"I promise."

Ranger pauses before saying what's on his mind, "Promise me that if something happens to me, whether it's tomorrow or twenty years from now, you'll take care of Stephanie. Make sure she is okay and safe, and know that she is loved. If my child is young, be that father figure for him or her. If I have a son, make sure he knows how to treat women with respect, how to show them that he loves them, and not to be a playboy like us. If I have a daughter, make sure she knows that she should be the queen in the eyes of her man and should be treated as such, but she needs to respect him as king in his own right. That they must work together to be a good match. Make sure that their significant others are worthy of them. I'm not asking you to marry Steph or take my place, but just be her rock."

Lester looks and shakes his head. He puts his head down and them locks his eyes on my eyes. "Carlos, I would do that without having to promise you anything. And even if I am happily married, any wife of mine will know what a special place Stephanie holds in my heart. And if the situation were to be reversed, I would expect you to do the same for my wife."

"In a heartbeat."

In that moment, I knew that everything would be fine between me and Lester. All the awkwardness and uncomfortableness that we've been feeling for the last few months is gone and we are back to being ourselves. "If I'm not married, though, can I put the moves on Beautiful?" Lester asks while wiggling his eyebrows.

"Santos!" I growl before giving into a laugh.

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Author's Note: Love the reviews! Thank you for your encouragement and insight. I love your thoughts on where you see this story going. I may not be able to post this week, as I have to clean up my docs (getting close to 50, and those who have published know that once you have 50, you can't add any more). So I will be spending some time editing Lovely 25. I will update by next weekend though. Thank you for following me. If you haven't ready my other two complete stories yet, now may be the time. Lovely 25 and Hawaii-A stephanie plum inspired novel. Still working on Changing Seasons for those who are following that story as well. Once again. THANK YOU! :-)**


	8. And The Rat Is

**Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay in updating this story. My muse disappeared, and life has gotten crazy. Also, I had to delete some chapters of previous stories to make room for this story. So, I've been slowly editing and updated Lovely 25, so I can get rid of those chapters in my doc manager on fanfic. All of you published fanfic authors understand. I hope you enjoy the update and I plan on continuing with this story exclusively. I'll work on Changing Seasons once this is finished. Trying to write two stories simultaneously is too confusing! Keep the reviews coming! That's how I get paid.**

 **As always, the characters are not mine, but the story is mine. There is some SMUT in this chapter.**

 **Chapter 8—And The Rat Is…**

 **Stephanie's POV**

December has arrived, and we are no closer to finding out where Dalton is hiding, and he didn't find us. Hector, Lester, and Dani are still the only ones who know where we are staying. I know that Tank and Bobby are hurt, but they understand Ranger's need to be secretive as possible. They just don't realize that he suspects them. Kim came out during Thanksgiving, and we got together, with Lula, Tank, Ranger, and Vince at Tank's home on the shore. While we were there, we had another scare from Dalton. He left a note for Ranger with a picture of me walking into Tank's house on the day we arrived. We have no idea how he knew where we were. I've been going mostly to and from work, and I'm starting to get a little stir crazy. I refuse to put myself any situation where I might be hurt because I don't want our baby to be hurt. I'm sixteen weeks pregnant and doing well. I have a baby bump now, and the Merry Men are excited to see me grow and glow, as they say. Ranger can't keep his hands off the bump. Anytime we are alone he's touching my bump, trying to bond with the baby while the baby is still cooking. It's cute.

However, there is a problem in our lives that he has to deal with, and he feels it would be best for me to stay in Trenton. Julie has been insistent on wanting to stay living with Ranger and me even after everything settles down. She told us that since Scrog, Rachel and Ron have been taking all the money that Ranger sends for her and using it on her stepsiblings. She has to buy herself whatever she needs from her part-time babysitting jobs. Ranger was furious when he found out and decided to take matters into his own hands. He made an appointment with his attorney and will be filing papers for full custody and the annulment of her adoption by Ron. I signed depositions and whatever else he thought he needed from me. He's been gone for two weeks, caught up in a lot of legal red tape. I miss him so much, but fortunately, we haven't heard or seen from Dalton since Thanksgiving weekend.

I'm in my office at HQ working when Lester knocks on the door. "Hey Beautiful, you have a visitor."

"Hey honey, I didn't know you were back. Who's here?"

"Morelli."

I sigh. Fuck. "What does Joe want?"

"He wants to talk to you. Do you want me with you?"

"No. I can handle Joe. I'll meet him in one of the rooms downstairs." I say while absently rubbing my baby bump.

"Use room 2. I can view the feed and make sure you're okay." He helps me up and pulls me into a hug. He kisses the top of my head. "May I?"

I nod. Lester wants to touch my belly. I let him. Ranger and I already decided that he will be the godfather of this baby. "Dios, Steph, you are getting more and more beautiful each day. Pregnancy suits you."

"You better not let Dani hear you talk like this," I respond with a smile. Dani and Lester have become inseparable. Their personalities mesh well. She is caring and loving and has a great sense of humor and Lester is, Lester. He's happy when he's around her, and I'm happy for them. Lester deserves a chance at happiness, and I think Dani is the right one for him.

Lester takes my hand. "Come, I'll walk you downstairs."

I get downstairs and greet Morelli. I lead him into the room. "What do you want, Joe? You know that Ranger is out of town and decide that you can be civil to me now?"

"Cupcake, I'm sorry."

That wasn't the response I was expecting. It caught me off guard, momentarily. "What are you sorry for, Morelli?"

"For being a jackass to you over and over again. You were right. And I don't deserve your forgiveness, but I owe you an explanation."

I sit down in a chair and look at Joe. I see the sadness in his eye, the warmth of dark chocolate color. It is nice to see this side of him again. "So, explain."

 **Joe's POV**

"Cupcake, I've known for many years that you were in love with Ranger. However, you kept coming back to me. You would spend time in my bed, in my house, and we'd say we were dating. I started to live in that perfect fantasy land, where you love me as much as I loved you. I always knew when Ranger would poach. Many people told me about your stolen kisses around Trenton, but I didn't need them to say anything to me. I knew it the minute you came within two feet of me. I'd smell him on you, that damn cologne or shower wash, whatever it is that he uses. Then, there were times I smelled it on your body, and I knew you showered in his penthouse. I often wondered if he was in the shower with you or not. However, I kept saying that he was nothing to you because you would spend the night in my bed. When I finally got up the courage to propose, I was afraid it was too late. I was going to propose in the restaurant, but I had a feeling that your answer was going to be no. So, I didn't want to embarrass myself or you. That's when I decided to go to the park and ask you privately." I suddenly get lost in the memories from that fateful night.

 _Stephanie looks beautiful tonight, not that she doesn't look beautiful all the time, but this dress on her, I just want to rip it off her. But, I think I have already lost her. She's been different this last week since Ranger returned. As much as she is still living in my space and my house, she is not always with me mentally. I notice it when we are making love. She not as into it, and she seems to escape into her head. I'm afraid that one of this night she's going to call out his name instead of mine. I'm tempted to call her 'Babe' to see if she does just that. That's why we're here in the park. I love this woman, and I want to make her mine, permanently. I want her to understand that I love her and want her to be my wife. I want to send a clear message to Manoso to stop the stolen kisses, the touches, and the promises, that she is MY woman and is off limits. We are in front of the lake by some benches. I walk her over the benches, and I sit her down. I kneel before her. "Stephanie Michelle Plum, I love you, and I have wanted to do this for some time. You are a beautiful, thoughtful, and wonderful woman and I will be honored if you were to become my wife; Cupcake, will you marry me?"_

 _Stephanie took my hands and pulled me up on the bench next to her. She had tears in her eyes, and they were not tears of joy. It took her a moment before she responded. "Joseph, I do love you, but I cannot marry you. You don't have my complete heart, and I would only make you miserable. I don't want what you want; I don't want to be a housewife and stay at home mom. I don't want 2.5 children. I can't cook gourmet dinners. I never meant to lead you on or to hurt you. I can't accept your proposal. Joe, I'm sorry."_

" _Does this have anything to do with Manoso?"_

 _She looks at me, and I know the answer before she says the words. "It has everything to do with Ranger."_

" _I see. You know, Cupcake, I will never leave you behind to go and save the world. I will always be next to you."_

" _I know that Joe, but I am in love with Ranger. Whatever he is willing to give me, I'll take. I'm sorry." She leans her head on my shoulder and just rests it there. "Joe, I want to say yes. But I just can't. When Ranger came home a few days ago, he surprised me at my apartment. He had to talk to me. He told me that while on this mission, he came to realize that he was in love with me and wants to try a real relationship. I know that it may not last, and I know that he may never be able to be my husband or give me a child, but I can't, with good conscience, marry you without knowing for sure. If I say yes, I'll always wonder what I gave up. I know that by saying no, I may be losing you forever, and it's a risk I'm willing to take. I know I could wind up alone and broken-hearted, but I won't have any questions. If we are meant to be together, then I truly believe our love will find a way." She leans into me and gives me a gentle, loving, passionate kiss on the mouth before getting up._

" _Stephanie, I do love you, and I always will, and believe it or not, I understand. I wish you the best, but don't count on me waiting for you."_

" _Thank you, Joe."_

I see Stephanie looking at me curiously, so I continue with what I came here to say. "I hated that I lost you to Manoso. I blamed him for you not being able to commit, but I realized, looking back on our relationship over the last few weeks, that our relationship was toxic. When I spoke to Lauren about it, she pointed out how bad we are to each other. I think she dislikes you because of the way I put you on a pedestal. She never feels that she is as good as you or as strong as you. I apologized to her as well. When I thought Manoso was dead, I was able to feel that we drew, because neither one of us had you. Lester had stepped up and saved the day, I was glad. I didn't want you to be alone, but I didn't want you with Manoso. Finding out that you were having his baby was just salt in the old wound, and I'm sorry for how I've been treating you. Please forgive, Cupcake."

I could tell she is surprised by my confession, but in true Stephanie fashion, she recovers. "Listen, Joe, a lot of that was my fault for not being clear with you. I knew that I was in love with Ranger since Scrog, but I never told you. Then Hawaii happened, and I wished it were for real, but Ranger was always 'no commitment.' I was planning on telling Ranger how I felt when you barged in on us in Hawaii. So, we both carry that blame, but I miss our friendship. I miss talking to you. I could use a good friend who knows how to keep a secret who isn't a Merry Man."

I smiled and laughed. "So, am I forgiven?"

"Yes, you are."

"Now, I am told that I am to invite you over next Saturday for Paola's birthday. Bring Ranger with you if he's back."

"Tell Lauren I'll be there. I'll let you know about Ranger once I know, but either Hector or Lester will be with me if Ranger is not back. Can Julie come?"

"Of course." We stand up and walk to the door. I open it for Stephanie, and she walks me to the exit. I kiss her on her cheek, and I hug her as Lester comes out of the room next to us. Suddenly, Lester is running towards us and yelling "Get down."

I don't need him to tell me twice. I push Stephanie to the floor and throw my body over hers as the bullets start to hit the door and windows. Fortunately, they're bulletproof, so they don't shatter, yet. Lester reaches us and together, we half drag, half carry the crawling Stephanie back to the elevator. Once in the elevator, I see Lester take out his fob and hit a button. "Scrambling the feed. Something's weird here. We need to get Stephanie to safety. If anything happens to her or the baby..."

Lester doesn't need to finish. I know where his mind is going. Both he and I will be shipped off to some third world country. "Lester, what's going on?"

 **Stephanie's POV**

"I don't know. It has to be Dalton. Listen, we need to get you safe, Beautiful." Lester says. The doors open on five and Lester tells Joe to go back downstairs and do his cop thing. Joe agrees. Once he leaves, Lester takes Stephanie up the stairs to the secret stairwell. Between the sixth and seventh floor is a false wall that leads to stairs to the alley behind the building. Lester finishes sending a text and scrambles the feed the cuts the lights to the stairs. He opens the door and pushes Stephanie through and closes it. Then, he turns the lights back on.

"Where are we?" I ask.

"Secret exit. Only Ranger, me, and now you know about this exit. It takes us to a back alley where Dani will pick us up. We're going home." We get down the stairs and sneak outside. Dani is waiting for us in an unfamiliar vehicle with Hector. I look at Lester. "Ranger and I keep two vehicles parked in a garage next door. No one knows about them."

Wow, they are scary with all this James Bond shit they have going on. "Who do you think gave up our location?"

"I don't know. But we need to keep you under lock and key until Ranger gets home. I'm sorry, Beautiful."

This scenario is crazy. I'm running out of people to trust. I don't know if Joe can be trusted. He could be the mole, or it could be Tank or Bobby. We haven't been able to figure it out yet, and thus, haven't been able to rule anyone out.

Lester's phone rings and he picks it up. Before he can acknowledge the call, he hears, "Santos, where the fuck are you and where the fuck is Bomber?" Tank's voice boomed. He's pissed off.

"She's with me, and she's fine. Ranger knows where we're going. Talk to you later."

Lester hangs up the phone before Tank could respond. He shuts off the phone, and everyone else does the same. Hector deactivated all my trackers to any monitor outside of Ranger's, Lester's, Hector's, Dani's and my laptop. Control does not know where we are. He's able to jam any tracker on our persons or in the vehicle.

"Where are we going?"

"We're going to Hector's house."

I look at Hector. "You have a house?"

"Si, chica. In Princeton. I think you like."

"Do you think Morelli was in on it?" Lester asks me.

"No, I don't, but I'm not taking any chances. There are too many people he might have told in passing. I'll call him in a couple of days and explain if it's safe."

Once we arrive at Hector's, we start to make dinner. I'm in charge of the salad and setting the table. Dani is in charge of the rest. Hector and Lester double check the perimeter and make sure the security is up and running. They call Ranger on his sat phone. He's a little pissed but is glad to know that I'm safe. He tells them he should be home with Julie in a day or two. Then he asks to talk to me.

" _Babe, how are you?"_

"I'm fine. How are things going with Rachel and Julie?"

" _Great. I will be getting full custody of Julie until she is 18. Once she turns 18, she can choose whatever she wants. She'll be staying with us for a while."_

"I'm so happy and excited. It'll be great having Julie around with the baby."

" _Where are you staying?"_

"At Hector's house. It's myself, Lester, Hector, and Dani."

" _Okay. That's good. Please stay inside until I get home."_

"I will. I'm scared. I don't want anything to happen to the baby."

" _Everything will be okay, Babe. Try not to worry or stress. I'll be home as soon as I can. Don't go crazy."_

"I won't. I love you, Carlos."

" _I love you, too, Babe."_ With that, he hangs up.

True to his word, Ranger arrives home two days later with Julie in tow. She is now official his daughter again and is in his custody. I am also her legal guardian. I could tell that Julie's happy to be here with us as well. She likes Hector's house and is anxious to go to school tomorrow. Finally, we get her to go to her room to unpack. Ranger and I go into the guest room that I was using and sit down to talk.

"Someone has to be feeding Dalton information. I think I know who it is." I tell Ranger.

"Babe, who?"

"Lula."

"Lula?"

"Yes, Lula. She knew where we were going the first time and over Thanksgiving weekend. She'd probably already have known that Morelli was coming to talk to me. He apologized for the way he treated me. He has also, somewhat, apologized to you for not being a good loser."

Ranger paused and looked at me. He then leans in and gives me a big kiss. "Dios, Babe, I missed you." He bends down, and he kisses my belly, "And I miss you, querida." I love when he kisses our growing baby. It's sexy. "You know, I think you're right. And I think Tank has inadvertently been feeding her information."

"But, Carlos, how do we know for sure if it's inadvertent and not on purpose?"

"That's going to be the tricky part. We may have to set Lula up, and Tank up."

"If Tank is involved, what will happen to him?"

"Babe, if Tank is involved, he's done. Done with Rangeman, done with Trenton, done with me, and done with you. He'd be lucky if I dropped him off in the middle of a jungle somewhere."

"Man, I never want to be on your bad side, Batman."

"You can never be on my bad side, Babe. But, you can be a bad girl sometimes." He says with a twinkle in his eyes that turn dark, chocolate brown. Just as he's about to kiss me, someone knocks on the door.

"Jefe, Estefania, I have information for you." It's Hector.

"We'll be right there." Ranger replies before adding, "Someday, I'm going to explain, very clearly, what do not disturb means and the penalty for not following that order." I laugh at his frustrations because I've had that same thought so many times.

Ranger and I walk hand in hand to the office. Ranger sits on the club chair and pulls me into his lap. "This better be good."

Hector sends Ranger daggers with his eyes. I try not to roll my eyes, because, frankly, this is hilarious. "I've found a few random phone calls from the cell phone of someone we trust."

"Are you going to explain what you found and who made the calls?" Ranger asks.

"Si," Hector replies.

 **Hector's POV** (All internal dialogue is in Spanish, remember, this is Hector's voice. 😊)

I love watching Estefania and Ranger interact. She is so beautiful and so much in love with Ranger, and he is in love with her. I'm glad that they are together and having a baby. Lester was good for Estefania, but he wasn't her love. They would've been happy, but she would never be complete. I can see that Ranger is getting impatient. I think I interrupted some downtime and some adult playtime.

"You asked me to monitor all the calls made by Rangeman employees on any phone and to monitor all e-mails, personal and business ones. I have heard one person call another person on several occasions, giving the location of where you were going to be with less backup. That person then called Dalton, and that's how he found you. After carefully monitoring the Rangeman employee, I don't see any way that he is guilty of trying to hurt Estefania. However, the person he was sharing information with is no longer happy with him and is tired of "the little bitch" always ruining great nights by getting into some disaster."

"Okay, Hector, you've peaked my interest. Who's the Rangeman employee who unknowing giving out information?"

"Tank."

"And he's giving that information to Lula," Stephanie says to my shock.

"You figured it out?" I ask her.

"Yes. It's the only variable that was the same all three times." Stephanie tells me.

"Do you think Tank is knowingly feeding Lula the information or that it's innocent?"

"Well, considering that they are dating and were hanging out together, it may not be on purpose. But I'm not sure." Hector said.

"We need a plan to test and see if Tank is giving Lula information on purpose. Let's plant a false lead and tell Tank we're taking Stephanie to Safe House 1 and see if Dalton winds up there. We can set up surveillance and see what comes up, though we'll have to make him think she's there." Ranger states.

"Let me go there. I'll disguise myself and let Dalton think that I'm Stephanie. I can wear heels to account for the height difference, but he may not notice that. Putting a hat and hoodie on will hide most of my face and hair, and I can always curl it to make it work."

"Dani, I don't want you to put yourself in harm's way." Lester states.

"Les, I've been in worse situations before. If Stephanie could do things like this without my military training than surely I can." Dani replies.

"Honey, you have to let her do it. She can handle herself. She has the training I don't, and if she wears a hoodie, she can wear Kevlar and other protection underneath. We need to get rid of this guy, and at a minimum, find out if Tank if feeding Lula. If he's not, then we can bring in Tank, and we can nab Lula and try to set up Dalton that way." Stephanie replies to him.

"Fine! But I don't like this at all." Lester replied.

"I can wire her up without anyone picking up she's wired. We can have video as well." Hector assured everyone.

"We are going to need someone to nab Lula. I hesitate to ask Tank, but do you feel we can truly trust him, Hector?" Ranger asks.

"I believe we can. I don't think Tank would purposely do something to hurt Estefania."

"Okay. We will work out a plan and get this underway for this weekend. I don't want to give Dalton too much more time. We need to get him, and we need to get him now." Ranger finished. "Briefing at 0900 tomorrow." With that, Ranger takes Estefania's hand and walks her back to their room.

 **Ranger's POV**

Finally, the update is over, and we can start formulating a plan. I need to figure out a way to have Tank and Lula have different information. I have to ask Hector how Tank is filling in Lula if he's doing by voice or text. This plan can wait for tomorrow, though. Right now, I want to make love to my woman, my fiance, and the beautiful mother of my child. Dios, how I've missed my Babe.

I open the door to our room for her, and once we enter, I close and lock the door. I push her up against the door and start attacking her mouth with mine. Dios, I love her lips on mine and her body up against me. The things she does to me just by being near me. I need her, and I want her badly. It's been too long. A day is too long to be away from her, especially since we've been together every day, and we have made love every day as well. I need to slow myself down, so I don't hurt Stephanie. I pick her up and place her gently in the center of the bed. I slowing bring my lips down her neck, behind her ear, and over her breasts through her shirt. I nip at her nipples and suck her beautiful breast through her shirt and bra. Her breath is hitching, and she is starting to moan. I have one hand in her curls, her crazy, wild curls, and the other is rubbing her center through her pants. I can feel how wet she is even with her clothes on her body. Dios, my cock is so hard for her it's painful. I remove her shirt and bra and continue my mouth assault on her breast, nipping and biting her nipples, licking them, and playing with them with my hands. "Carlos, please, I need you." I ignore her pleas and continue my assault. I bring my lips down her belly and spend time kissing our child while still playing with her breasts. Since her pregnancy, her breasts have gotten even more sensitive and get her even more turned on then before. I refuse to move my mouth to her core, though. I want to drive her crazy. The more frustrated and get her, the harder she lets me fuck her, and I need to fuck her hard. I can smell her juices, and they are turning me on, even more, making my cock throb. Dios, I need my woman.

I can feel her body reacting under my body; I hear her moans of ecstasy. I know that she is enjoying what I am doing to her just as much as I'm enjoying it. I decide to kiss her center through her panties, no direct contact. Dios, she is wet and waiting. It is time to for me to take her. "Babe, I need to fuck you, hard. Are you ready? I don't want to hurt you. I promise the next round will be gentle and slow."

"Carlos, I needed you about 10 minutes ago. Please fuck me hard; I missed you." That is all I need to put my cock inside my Babe. I slip it right in and immediately feel her tightening around me. It takes all my control to stop myself from coming immediately. I at least want to make sure that she comes with me. I start off a little slow to give her a chance to adjust to me, and then I take her hard and fast while nipping, licking, and kissing her breasts. We both reach our climax together. "Babe, did I hurt you?" I ask her once we both catch our breath.

"No, it was perfect, Carlos." With that, she starts to kiss me, and we begin round number two.

 **Julie's POV**

I finish unpacking and start to walk around the house. I'm trying to find Dad and Mom. I'm not sure where they are, but I'm getting hungry and want to know what's for dinner. I start heading towards their bedroom when Uncle Lester finds me. "Querida, come with me downstairs. We can help Dani get dinner ready."

"Where's Mom and Dad?"

"Stephanie was a little tired, so she and your Dad went upstairs to take a nap. They'll be down in time for dinner. The baby is making Stephanie extremely tired. However, this is normal."

I relax once Uncle Lester tells me that her tiredness is normal. I don't want anything bad to happen to Mom or the baby. I know that Dad is worried about Stephanie. He was so angry that it was taking so much time to get everything settled in Florida. We spent a lot of time together, but I knew that his mind was here, in Jersey, thinking about Stephanie. I only hope that when I'm older, I find someone like my Dad, that I have someone who loves me the way that he loves Stephanie.

Lester and I enter the kitchen, and I see Dani getting ready to cook. "Hey Chica, how have you been?"

"I'm good. Do you need help getting dinner ready?"

"I could always use a good sous chef. Are you up for the challenge? Lester isn't very good at following directions."

"Are you surprised that Uncle Lester has issues with directions? The only two people he takes orders from and follows them are Mom and Dad, and I'm not always sure about Dad. But Mom can make him do anything."

Dani looks at me, obviously confused. "Didn't Lester tell you? Dad has custody of me, Rachel gave up her rights, and Stephanie is my Mom."

"That's so wonderful, Jules. I know that they are both thrilled to have you here with them permanently."

"What are we making for dinner, Dani?"

"We're going to make grilled chicken thighs with rosemary roasted red potatoes, escarole sauteed with garlic and oil, and a salad with romaine lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and onions and a red wine vinegarette dressing. You can help me by cutting the vegetables for the salad."

"No problemo Dani." I immediately get to work. I do wonder where Dad disappeared off to with Mom. I don't know why he has to stay with her while she's napping. I mean, he could just as easily be here. Maybe he's tired as well. I know he hasn't been sleeping well since we were away from here. He had some bad dreams.

Dani finishes prepping the chicken and carries it outside where Uncle Lester is going to barbeque it. Then, she comes back in. "I'll be right back, sweetie. I'm going to go and let your parents know that dinner will be ready in about 20 minutes."

"Dani, I'll go."

"No, Julie, you stay here. Why don't you go outside and keep Uncle Lester company."

I shrug my shoulders and go outside. Finally, it dawns on me why Uncle Lester and Dani and stopping me from going upstairs. Dad and Mom must be having sex. Eww. I know that's how babies are formed, and all, but really, thinking about Dad and Mom having sex is just wrong. I shutter.

All of a sudden I hear laughter. "I know what that look is all about, Julie. You better get used to that idea, because it's a part of your everyday life now." Uncle Lester tells me. I sigh. "Will I ever get used to the idea of it and them?"

"They're your parents; you'll never get used to it. It's not something that anyone wants to think about."

"Uncle Lester, I guess you're right."

 **Dani's POV**

I can't believe that the first thing that Ranger has to do is get naked with Stephanie. Can't he at least wait until Julie goes to bed before taking it out? That girl is going to put two and two together and figure out what they are doing soon. She's too smart for her good. I hate having to play interference with Julie. I'll just have to talk to Stephanie about it later. I go to the door, and I can hear them through the door. Ugh. Maybe I'll go to my room and use my cell phone to call them instead. Yeah, that's a better idea. I walk into my room and find my cell phone. I find Ranger in my contacts and dial. It rings once, twice, three times, four times, five times, voicemail. Now I try Stephanie's. Same thing. I call Ranger's phone again. "Yo."

"Dinner will be ready in 15. You better be downstairs on time. Julie's been looking for you two." With that, I hang up the phone and head back downstairs. Hopefully, by reminding him that his daughter is here, he'll get the drift. Men. They only think with the brain below the waist.


	9. And the Trap is Set

**As always, the characters are not mine, but the story is mine.**

 **Chapter 9 The Trap is Set**

 **Stephanie's POV**

Lula. I'm having a hard time believe that Lula would be the one who would want to cause me harm. I thought of Lula as a sister of mine. She and I were closer than Valerie and I ever was, which makes her betrayal even harder to cope with right now. I just don't understand how we are going to get Lula without getting Tank involved. In my heart of hearts, I know that Tank had nothing to do with getting any of the information to Lula knowingly. Ranger is too important to Tank, and I like to think that I'm important to Tank as well. Except, there is some doubt. I know that Lula was invited to those locations where Dalton arrived, so she did need to know where we were going. I just want to know how Dalton ever contacted her. How would he even know to use her? It is all so confusing. Ranger has a plan of action like he always does, but I just ho[e that we can get this whole episode behind us and catch Dalton and get this whole, horrible episode behind us. I would like to go back to trusting Tank and Bobby as well. As much as I love Hector and Lester, I miss my other Merry Men. If I were honest with myself, I have to admit that I am having a hard time being around Lester all the time. We never really got a chance to have a life without each other after Ranger returned. I need to spend time alone with Ranger, without his men constantly around us. I need a sense of normalcy that is lacking. Lester and I need time to forget how close we were to our marriage. Lately, I've had more "flashback" moments around Lester, remembering his playful nature. Don't get me wrong, I still love Carlos with all my heart and soul, but it is sometimes hard reconciling both sets of emotions. Dani being around, though, is helping a lot. I can see that there is chemistry between Dani and Lester, and I hope that he pursues a relationship with her. I can tell that she's attracted to him. He has amazing green eyes and a great body. He's leaner than Ranger, but a little taller as well. They look cute together, and she can handle his slightly obnoxious playboy attitude, which very few women can. Maybe I need to set up some time for them to be alone together, I need to talk to Carlos about that.

"Babe, will that work for you?" Ranger asks me.

"What? I'm sorry, I was zoned out. The last thing I remember was the confirmation that Lula was indeed contacting Dalton. After that, I have no idea what anyone was saying. I'm sorry. Must be these damn pregnancy hormones."

"Babe. We are going to have you call Lula directly and tell her you are going to go shopping at the maternity store in Trenton. You are going to ask her to join you in your hunt for fashionable and non-fatso looking clothes."

"Okay. I can do that. When do you want me to call Lula and set everything up for?"

"For Saturday. Dani is going to be one of the employees there that day, and she will be helping you select your clothes. Everything is set up with the store already. We will have all the exits and entrances covered. He should make a move for you by the dressing rooms because the rear entrance is close. It will be an easy grab sight for you. We'll make sure Lula doesn't see anyone around."

"But Lula has met Dani. That won't work with Dani hiding in plain sight."

"Dani will wear a wig and colored contacts. She won't look like herself. I've seen her disguise. It will work." Ranger tells me.

"Okay, so when do you want me to call Lula to set everything up?"

"Call her up two hours beforehand. Make it seem like it's the last minute. Tell her after you'll go out for lunch at Pino's. That way, if he doesn't try for you in the store, he may try Pino's."

"And we're setting it up for this Saturday, right?"

"Yes. Saturday." Ranger responds.

We go over the rest of the plan, but the biggest factor is leaving Tank out of the loop. Lester will take care of him by setting up a takedown of some FTA on that day. That way, he won't be able to call Lula. We fall into a routine at Hector's house and hope to be able to move back to our home soon. Though I love our room here, it is not the same. I think Julie knows that when Carlos and I are "resting" we're making love. I feel a little weird about that, and I have to talk to Carlos, because frankly, we're not setting a good example for Julie, being unmarried and all. Yes, I know we're engaged, but engaged is still not married. At this rate, we won't be married when this baby comes.

The week flies by, and it is Saturday morning. Showtime. I pick up my phone and call Lula.

 _"_ _Hey white girl, what's up?"_

"Not much Lula. Trying to find clothes that fit me and are fashionable. So hard to do when you're pregnant. I either look like a beached whale or like I'm trying to squeeze myself into something four sizes too small."

 _"_ _So you need to go shopping girlfriend. Isn't there a maternity store in town?"_

"Yes, there is. I was going to ask you if you wanted to meet me there in a half hour? Then, after, we can go out eat to Pino's. Ranger is working on a takedown today, and I'm bored. Julie is at her friend's house studying for a test."

 _"_ _That sounds great. I'll be there. No escort from the Men in Black?"_

"Nope. None. Finally, I have some breathing room. I love my men, but they overbearing sometimes."

 _"_ _I hear you. See you in a few."_

We hang up the phone with the plans all set. Now, time to set the trap.

I arrived at the shop, Mommy Fashions, in my Mercedes. I park the car and get out while looking for Lula. I see her approaching, so I walk to the entrance of the store and wait for her there. She comes to me and hugs me.

"How did you convince Batman to let you out without your usual contingent of Men in Black?"

"I told him I needed some time with you and to shop without having two to three people breathing down my neck. I can't even get peace at home, and I was starting to stress out. He gave in because he wants to make sure the baby is safe."

"Well then, let's get shopping."

We walk into the store, and I see Dani. She doesn't look like herself. I know that Lula won't recognize her. I barely do, and I know that she is there. She's really good a disguising herself. I pick out five different dresses, because they make me feel sexy, and I'm having a hard time feeling sexy since my belly is starting to show more and more. I also pick up a few dressy, work-appropriate tops for when I am meeting with clients. I also get about ten pairs of dress pants and a few skirts. I have Ranger's t-shirts for lounging at home, and his sweatpants and sweatshirts when I need them, though I do get a few pairs of legging and yoga pants for the gym. Both my doctor and Bobby want me to continue to work out during my pregnancy. Lula is picking out some of her usual, outrageous outfits for me. I don't think a skin-tight, short black dress will work for me; I'd feel more skanky than sexy. But, to amuse Lula, I take them to the dressing room. I see Lula take out her phone and it seems like she sent a text message to someone. Dani is watching from nearby, and I know I have backup outside. As I enter the dressing room, I hear someone behind me. It's Dalton.

"Well, well, Ms. Plum. It's so nice to get you alone finally. I thought that Carlos would never let you be without your bodyguards, but it seems you finally wore him down. How unfortunate. But now, we can become better acquainted, and I can tell you why I wanted him dead. But first, I need to give you this injection. Don't worry about the brat, when you wake up; the brat will be gone. It will be harder getting to the other brat, though, he protects Julie thoroughly. Taking care of his youngest, then his oldest, and lastly, his woman. That should be enough to push him over the edge. Then, I will kill him like I should have done from the beginning. He is too good at surviving."

Fear is running through my body. I don't know how I'm going to prevent him from injecting me with that syringe, but I can't let him. I need to protect this baby. I can't lose my child. I know we bugged the entire shop, so someone should know what he said and should be waiting to come in. Hopefully, Bobby has something that will counteract the drug if he does wind up injecting me. I find my voice. "Why do you want to kill an innocent baby who hasn't even been born yet? What does this child have to do with Ranger? Why do you want to hurt me? I never did anything to you."

"You are collateral damage. Now, let's walk out of this room, and you will exit through the door to the right of this dressing room. My car is in the back. If you cooperate, I'll let the baby live until I kill you. Then you and your brat can die together. That will be much more poetic, don't you think?"

I follow his instructions and leave the store. This situation is just like those distractions I used to do. Once I get outside, I hear movement behind me, and I feel two strong arms encircle me. Ranger. I sink against his body and let out all the emotions I kept bottled up while in that dressing room. "It's okay, Babe. I got you now. Shh, querida, mi amor, shh."

"What should we do with him and Lula?" Lester asks.

"Bring them both to Rangeman and put them in one of the holding cells. Full search on both."

Ranger continues to hold me in his arms as Dani comes out of the store. "Babe, do you want to get any of the items you picked out?"

"All of them, but not what Lula picked."

"I'll take care of it," Dani replied. Ranger handed her his black AmEx, and she went back inside. Let's go to Rangeman and find out what we can.

"Where's Tank?"

"With Hector patroling Stark Street. We're going to test him now." Ranger replied. Ranger picked up his phone and placed a call o Tank.

 _"_ _What's up Boss?"_

"Listen, Stephanie wants to go shopping at Quakerbridge today. Can you and Hector head over there to meet her? I have that damn meeting with Mr. Reisman, or I'd go with her."

 _"_ _No problem. Should we meet Stephanie by Macy's?"_

"Yes. She's leaving now. Lester is with her, but I need more eyes there."

 _"_ _We got her back, Boss."_

With that, Ranger hangs up the phone. "It's all set. Lester, drive Steph over to Quakerbridge. Hector's going to give Tank two minutes alone while he goes to talk to a contact down on Stark. We're monitoring his phone, so we'll know if he calls anyone he shouldn't.

"Carlos, I need to go home. I don't want to go to Quakerbridge today." I reply. I'm exhausted and scared. I need to be in Carlos's arms right now.

"Babe, querida, I know. You don't have to go into the mall. You just have to drive there. If you get there and Tank doesn't call anyone, then you can come home. I'm sorry, querida, this is the only way."

"Fine. Lester, let's go." I say bitterly.

Lester helps me into the passenger seat of his SUV, and we head to the mall.

"Beautiful, what's wrong?" Lester asks as we are driving to Quakerbrigde.

"I'm just tired, angry, and scared. I can't believe that Dalton got so close to me today. He threated to kill the baby, or me and the baby. He wanted to go after Julie. To think that someone who I considered one of my best friends was behind this, I'm just overwhelmed. I am feeling the adrenaline rush crash, and I just want to be home with Carlos's arms around me. I don't want to go to the mall; I don't want to know that Tank is involved too. I don't think I would be able to handle him being involved in all this with Lula. It would break my heart, and it would break Carlos's heart. I'm sure that you, Bobby and Hector will also be hurt if he is involved. You all go too far back to turn on each other now."

"Beautiful, I don't think you have to worry about Tank. He loves you. He and I were the two people who kept on pushing Carlos to take his head out of his ass where you were concerned. We knew you were perfect for each other, but Carlos, and you were both blind to your attraction to each other. The fact that you didn't marry Morelli we'll, that shocked us. We thought for sure that you would've accepted his proposal. But that's neither here nor there. The fact is, I don't think Tank is in on this. He would never do something that would endanger Julie or your baby. He cares too much about family."

"I hope you're right, Lester."

"I am, my love."

"What's going on with you and Dani? I see you are spending a lot of time together."

"Well, she's very attractive, funny, and caring. I like her, and I want to see where a relationship with her will go. Is that okay with you? You won't feel weird or awkward with Dani and me possibly dating?"

"Lester, I think that's wonderful! Dani is a great person, and I think you and she will be perfect together. She already knows who to deal with your charming personality and obnoxious, inappropriate remarks. You need to pursue her, Lester."

"You're fine with us, really, Beautiful?"

"Yes. I want to see you happy and in a meaningful relationship. I do love you, Lester. You deserve a shot at marriage and a family, and I think that Dani can be that chance for you. She understands how you Merry Men are, which is half the battle."

"You're right. I'm glad you approve. You know you will always carry a piece of my heart, and if anything were to happen to Carlos for real, I'd always be there for you, and your child."

"I know. You and all my Merry Men will be there, but I know that you will be there even if you are married, Dani."

"Love you, Beautiful."

"Love you too, Lester."

With that, we pull up to Quakerbridge. I immediately spot Tank and Hector. They both walk over to the car. "You all set to shop, little girl?" Tank asks me from the other side of the car. Hector opens my door and hugs me, whispering in my ear "He's clear. No calls or texts. You can tell him about Lula or Lester will."

"Tank, we found the mole. We got the person who's been selling me out to Dalton, and we got Dalton." I say.

"When did this happen? How?"

"A half hour ago. Tank, I called someone to meet me at a shop in town to buy new maternity clothes. While there, Dalton ambushed me. We got him."

"Who was the person you called?"

"Lula."

"No way. Lula was not passing information on you to Dalton."

"Tank, every time he found us, Lula was involved in the plans. We traced her phone call to him this morning. We set the trap, and she fell for it. She's back at Rangeman in a holding cell next to Dalton. We know you weren't involved." Lester said.

"Baby girl, I'm sorry. I never thought she would be involved. I thought she loved you as I do. Can you forgive me?"

"Tank, it's not our fault. You didn't know. We only figured it out this week."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tank asked before the realization hit him like a ton of bricks. "You guys thought that I could've been involved. That's why you've been keeping me out of the loop."

"Tank, man, we're sorry, but we had to protect Beautiful and the baby," Lester said.

"Si, Angelita was most important," Hector added.

"I get it. I would've done the same. Let's get back to Rangeman and see what Lula has to say for herself." Tank assures us.

We all get into our cars and drive back to Haywood. I text Carlos, **On my way back home. Please meet me in my office. I need you.**

A few moments later, I get his response, **Babe; I'll meet you in the garage.**

XXXXXXXX

We arrive back a Haywood, and as he promised, Ranger is waiting for us in the garage. I barely get my door open, and he's there, lifting me out of the car. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, no, I don't know," I say after we kiss. "It's times like this that I miss you living on seven," I tell him while putting my head on his shoulder.

"Me too, Babe." He lifts me up and carries me bridal style into the elevator, and we go to my office on five. He locks my door, and we sit on the couch.

"Babe, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not. I am having difficulty dealing with Lula betraying me as she did. I loved her like a sister, and she tries to have me killed. Me and our child, Carlos. I don't understand why. This doesn't make sense to me. What did she have to gain by betraying me?"

"I don't know Babe, but those are the answers that we can now get. She's going to cave and admit to everything. She doesn't have control."

"Carlos, I don't want to be here right now. I want to be in OUR home, in OUR bed with your arms wrapped around me. Can we please go home now?" I ask Ranger while trying to keep my tears at bay. I know I'm asking a lot to have him wait to confront Dalton and Lula, but I need Ranger. My emotional state is too fragile right now.

"Querida, are you sure that's what you want right now?"

"Yes. We can come back later or tomorrow for answers. Dalton and Lula aren't going anywhere."

"Okay, but let me get Julie. If we are going home, then she's coming with us. I'll have Dani come home with us."

"No, Carlos, just me, you, and Julie. I want a sense of normalcy. I need for it to be just us, as a family."

"But we should have someone to keep Julie company while we are otherwise engaged."

"Carlos, I'm sure Julie realizes that we have sex, a lot. I'm sure she doesn't want to think about it, but that's why you had our room sound-proofed, and why there's a lock on the door. She's capable of keeping herself occupied for a few hours. She's a teenager, and she wants alone time just as much as we do."

"Fine. I'll get Julie. Wait here for us." He says before leaning down and kissing me.

 **Ranger's POV**

This whole situation had taken its toll on Stephanie. I can't believe that I didn't see it before now. Something has to change because she's not going to be happy living like this forever. Maybe it's time to get away and break free from Rangeman and Trenton. I have enough legitimate aliases that we can start our lives over, where I don't need to have her under guard 24/7. She has no more family, and the few friends she has we can tell, if she wants, and we will have our Rangeman family and my family. I know she needs her independence, but I don't know how to give it to her while always being afraid of a threat. This is why I didn't do relationships. Maybe she was better off with Lester. Maybe I should have left and let her be. Maybe I'll stage my death and disappear. She'll have Julie and the baby, so she will always have a piece of me now. If something were to happen to me now, Lester would jump right back in and would take care of her and my child. She would be happy with him. I would just have to suffer living my life without my Babe.

I go up to Ella's apartment and find Julie there. She comes running to me. "Hi, Dad. How's Mom?"

"Steph is good. We're going to go home. Get your stuff."

"Who's coming with us and which home? Uncle Hector's?"

"No one, and our home."

"You mean it's just going to be me, you, and mom?"

"Yes, mi hija, just the three of us."

Julie jumps into my arms and is obviously happy. "I'm so glad its just going to be us. I love everyone else, but we need some privacy."

"Julie, but it isn't always safe for us to be alone."

"Dad, our house is a fortress. You have so many alarms and cameras everywhere it's impossible to get onto our property without being seen or heard. I know you worry, but we don't need to be under watch constantly. When there is a threat, I get it. But when I go to school next year I don't expect to followed around like I'm the first daughter."

"Mi hija, you know I don't want anything happening to you."

"Yes, dad, but I need some independence, and so does mom. You've trained Stephanie just like you have trained me, and if you continue to work with her, she'll be able to handle herself. But how can you have a good marriage if you always have other people around? Mom is not going to put up with constant bodyguards. You're going to push her away."

"Julie, I can let anything happen to Stephanie. If someone were to hurt her or worse, kill her, I would be lost. She's my everything, and she almost got taken from me three times since I got her back. I can't live without her."

"Dad, you need to trust mom and me to keep ourselves safe. She carries a gun, a stun gun, and a knife. She's prepared. Hopefully, you'll let me carry gun someday. We can take care of ourselves. You need to trust us."

"Querida, when did you become so smart?"

"Having you as my dad made me this smart."

"Let's go get Steph and go home."

We go back down to five and enter Stephanie's office. She's sleeping on the couch. I love watching her sleep, so so peaceful. "Babe, wake up, we're going home." She slowly opens her eyes and smiles at me.

"You have Julie?"

"Yes. Let's go, Babe." She starts to stand up, but I just pick her up and carry her. She puts her arms around my neck, and we head down to the car. Lester sees us as we reach the elevator.

"Where are you guys going?"

"We're going home. Steph wants to go home and rest. I may be back later, if not tomorrow. Dalton and Lula aren't going anywhere. Feel free to question them, though."

"Do you want me to go with you? I can get Dani."

"No, Steph wants it to be just the three of us. We'll be fine. Now that Dalton is in our holding cell, we don't need to worry."

"Alright. I'll tell the control room to bring up the house on the monitors. I'll send the patrol out and let Ramos know you're back in town."

"Thanks, Lester." We enter the elevator and get to the garage. I place Stephanie in the car and buckle her in. She immediately falls back to sleep. Julie jumps in the back seat and gets herself comfortable. She's out before I get to the highway. I guess I'm driving to Deal without any comments from the peanut gallery.

 **Tank's POV**

I'm standing outside of the holding cell and looking in at Lula. Here is the woman I thought I was going to marry. I love her, and I thought she loved me too. I have a ring in my pocket that I was planning on giving to her on New Year's Eve, but instead, she's in my holding cell and has been betraying Ranger and Stephanie. I don't get it. She always said how Stephanie was her best friend, the first person to give her a chance and not judge her based on her previous life. I don't know when she started to hate Stephanie. I mean, you would have to hate someone to set them up to be kidnapped, tortured and eventually killed.

I now finally understand why I stopped being on Bomber duty. Bobby and I couldn't figure out why we got cut off from everything. Now we know that Ranger didn't know who to trust outside of Dani, Lester, and Hector. Bobby and I were entrusted with information on where Bomber would be, and someone leaked the information. Lester would never do it because he still is in love with Stephanie. Hector is Stephanie's protector. He would kill Ranger if he ever hurt Stephanie. Dani was the new woman and the outsider. Friends with Mariela, so she was safe. Damn, even Morelli wasn't trusted. I never suspected Lula, though. I know that I must be the one to go in and talk to her. I have to understand what caused her to do this to Stephanie.

"Are you okay, bro?" Lester asks.

"I will be. I just don't understand why Lula would do this to Stephanie. What was in it for her? How did she come to hate Stephanie so much?"

"Those are all questions that we have to ask her. Do you think you can do that, or do you want me to go in and talk to her?"

"Where's Ranger and Stephanie? Why aren't they doing the interrogation?"

"They went home to Deal. Stephanie is exhausted and emotionally drained. She needs time to decompress."

"Who is with them?"

"No one. Stephanie doesn't want any bodyguards. She needs time alone with Ranger and Julie. She's feeling suffocated. Since Ranger returned, they haven't been alone. She needs time alone with just the three of them."

"I get it. I guess I'll go in a talk to Lula. This sucks, it fucking blows."

"I hear you, loud and clear. I'll be right out here if you need me."

I walk into the holding cell, and Lula is sitting there, cuffed and shackled, and in full rhino mode.

"Tankie, what am I doing in here. How did you let your so-called friends treat me like a common criminal? I didn't do nothing. I don't know why I'm here, but you gotta get me out!"

I walk to the chair opposite her, turn in around, and sit down facing her. "Why do you have calls to Robert Dalton on your phone?"

"Robby is a friend; he was a good customer back in the day."

"Really. Are you still keeping in touch with your former Johns? What, did he want a booty call?"

"No Tankie, sweetie, nothing like that. He just wanted some information on where I was gonna be hanging out."

"I see, did he want to know who you were hanging out with?"

"Yes. Dalton wanted to know when I would be with Stephanie."

"Are you aware that he was trying to harm Stephanie, that he was the person behind everyone believing that Ranger was dead?"

"Yeah. And I helped Robby to try and get the little white bitch."

I'm shocked. Lula just called Stephanie a bitch? I don't understand. "Why? What did Stephanie ever do to you?"

"She's always taking you away from me. Ranger was dead, so she went to California to escape. And then you have to go there to see her, spend time with the little damsel in distress. She comes back and is with Lester, but you are still her bodyguard and partner, breaking plans with me to help her. Ranger returns, and you are up his ass and her ass constantly. I didn't matter anymore. Only what Ranger and Stephanie needed. She's more important to you. I wanted her out of the picture so I could have you all to my self. No more interruptions to save her precious little white ass anymore."

"So, you set her up to be killed and to have her unborn baby killed?"

"Yup. Once the batkid is born, you'll be stuck on batkid guard duty. Don't you get it, your life revolves around Stephanie and Ranger. Not around me. I'm your woman, and I should come first."

"What did Dalton give you in return for information on Stephanie?"

"$20,000 for each piece of information. Today would have been $100,000 because Robby finally would have Stephanie's sorry little ass."

"Lula, I don't even know who you are anymore. You disgust me. And to think I was going to propose to you on New Year's Eve. We will be turning you over to TPD. Your bank accounts will be frozen. You won't have any money, and you won't be out on bail. Have fun in jail with your former colleagues. Maybe they'll save you a corner for when you get in about 15 years."

I get up and walk out of the cell without a backward glance. All for jealousy, for not being the center of attention. To think, that I inadvertently helped Dalton hurt Ranger and Steph, I'm sick.

"Tank, are you okay?" Lester asks me.

"I will be after I beat the shit out of something or someone."

"Let's go to the mats."

Lester must have a death wish, but I'm grateful. I need to let out some of this aggression. We better get Bobby down there as a precaution.


	10. The Reason

**The characters are not mine, but the story is all of my creation. Thank you, JE for letting us play with your creations.**

 **Author's Note: I usually end my chapters with my notes, but I'm going to start this one with one instead. I have a hard time accepting Lula as an excellent friend to Stephanie in canon. She doesn't have her back and often lets her get into more trouble because of her irresponsible actions. So, I don't see it as being too hard to imagine her being a manipulative, backstabbing bitch. I know some of you are surprised, and I'm glad that I surprised you because it means that I crafted a good storyline, but I just don't love Lula. On another note, I'm not sure how much longer "Dream" is going to be. I wrote it initially as a one-shot, and it evolved from there. I hope to have at least another two to three chapters to tie up loose ends and finish the plot, but I'm not sure if it will be much longer than that. Please keep your reviews coming; they inspire me to continue to write this story. 3**

 **Chapter 10 The Reason**

 **Ranger's POV**

We have finally arrived back in Deal, to our home. I am glad to be back here with my two girls. As much as I wish we had a backup with us, I do realize that we need time as a family, just the three of us. I know Stephanie is feeling trapped, and a trapped Stephanie is not a good thing. Julie is more used to the constant surveillance, especially after Scrog, but she's right, she has to have the opportunity to live her life without constant security. My men in Miami trained with her in Tae Kwon Do, Jui Jitsu, and other defensive strategies, she's been shooting a gun regularly for that last five years, and is acutely aware of her surroundings, especially for a teenager. My Babe has been getting better. Lester worked with her on her self-defense and take down moves, she's been training under Bobby's watchful eyes, and she is almost as good of a shot as Tank. She is much more serious about her security. Bobby told me that she always carried when she was in San Diego, and she knew how to take care of herself. The stories I heard her friends share about how she would keep the unwanted admirers at bay had me proud of her. She has come a long way since that woman I first met all those years ago.

"Babe, Julie, we're home," I announce to my two sleeping beauties. Julie wakes up and immediately jumps out of the car. Steph barely moves. I lean over and kiss my Babe. "Babe, we're home. You need to wake up now." As I touch her forehead with my lips, I feel that she is warm, too warm. I get out of the car and walk around to her side. I unbuckle her and lift her out of the car. I throw the keys to Julie and tell her to open the door. She does immediately, and I carry Steph into the living room and lay her on the couch. "Julie, run upstairs to the master bedroom and get the thermometer from the top drawer of the vanity in the bathroom. Hurry."

Julie runs upstairs while I call Bobby. "Bobby, you need to get to the house in Deal immediately. Something is wrong with Stephanie."

 _"_ _What's happening, is she bleeding?"_

"No, she's burning up. Julie is getting the thermometer. She's been asleep since we got back to Haywood. I thought she was just emotionally drained, but she doesn't look good."

 _"_ _You need to take her temperature and let me know what it is immediately."_

"Here's Julie with the thermometer. Give me a minute to take her temperature." I put the probe cover on the thermometer and stick it under her tongue. I wait for it to finish reading. Once it beeps, I pull it out of her mouth. "Fuck! It's 103.3. What do I do?"

 _"_ _Get her cool, but not cold. Put a cool rag on her forehead. Try and get her to take Tylenol for the fever. I'm going to need to give her fluids. It may be better to take her to local ER, Ranger."_

"Bobby, just get here fast. I don't want to take her to the hospital unless you are here to run interference."

 _"_ _Tank and I are on our way. We're getting in a car now."_

"See you soon." I hang up the phone. "Julie, stay her with Steph while I go get her some Tylenol. Have you noticed anything with Steph lately out of the normal?"

"She's been coughing a lot, claiming allergies. She's also been tired."

"Damn it." How did I not see Steph getting sick? "Babe, come on, you need to wake up for a few minutes."

"W-What do you w-want, Carlos?"

"Babe, here, takes these two Tylenol and drink this water. How are you feeling?"

She swallows the pills and drinks her water. "Tired. My body aches, my chest hurts, and I have a cough that won't go away. I can't take any meds, so I have to suffer."

"Babe, how long have you been feeling like this?"

"For the last two days."

"Why didn't you tell Bobby or me?"

"Because we've been wrapped up in the Dalton takedown. I figured it was allergies to all the flowers at Hector's house. I'm cold. I'm going back to sleep."

Julie and I look at each other, and we both know that this isn't good. I'm afraid that my Babe is going to be in the hospital and she's going to be pissed at me. Why can't anything go easy with her?

"Jules, why don't you see what's in the fridge and make something for us for dinner. Bobby and Tank are coming, so make sure there's some extra. I'll help you in a few minutes. I just want to get Steph settled."

"Dad, take care of mom. I got dinner. You don't need to help me. Just make sure mom and the baby are okay."

I look at my watch. It'll be at least another twenty minutes before Bobby arrives. As I'm listening to my Babe breathe, I hear her wheezing. This can't be good. I guess Tank will be staying here with Julie. I'm glad that I'm able to trust Tank. I wonder if he spoke to Lula yet?

 **Bobby's POV**

"You know, I couldn't figure out why we were shut out of Bomber duty until today. Ranger didn't trust us."

"Do you blame him? After what that bastard did to him, I mean, six more months and Lester and Bomber would be married." Tank replies.

"I get it, but it still hurts."

"Considering that it was Lula, though, I can't blame him or be mad at him."

"I guess your right. At least we're back in Ranger's good graces now. I never want to be on the outside looking in again."

"You got that right. What do you think is wrong with Bomber?"

"She probably has some cold. Maybe the flu, hopefully not pneumonia. She may have to go to the hospital."

"You know she's going to be pissed off about that."

"Yes, I do, but she needs to think about that baby, and that's the safest place for her and her child."

"I get you. Do you know that Lula did that to Stephanie because she was jealous of her? She was jealous because I would drop everything to go and help Bomber if she needed me. I mean, we all do, because she's our partner and our sister, but apparently, I put her ahead of Lula, and she was sick and tired of it. And to think I was ready to propose to her."

"No one blames you. There was no way to know that Lula would turn on Stephanie like that. I know that it will probably kill Steph when she realized it was Lula." Bobby responded.

Tank sighed. "I don't understand how such a good person constantly gets fucked over by people who supposedly love her, first her mother, then her sister and the Burg, and now Lula. Even Morelli is a jerk to her at times, though much better than he used to be when they were dating."

"I hear you. You know, if any of us ever betrayed Stephanie, I think it would hurt her more than everyone else combined because we are now her family."

With that, Tank and I settle into comfortable silence, each lost in our thoughts about how many people screwed over Stephanie since we've known her. Finally, we pull up to the gates of the house. I put my pass on the keypad, and we are allowed entrance. Once we park, I grab my bag, and we go in the house to check on Stephanie.

 **Ranger's POV**

Bobby and Tank finally arrived at the house. I go and open the door for them. Bobby comes in with his bag and immediately goes to my Babe. I see him checking her pulse, her heart, and her lungs. He feels her head and can tell that she has a fever. "Ranger, she's wheezing, her lungs don't sound clear. Her heart rate is a little high. I can only imagine that her oxygen levels can't be too good. I'm going to give her a nebulizer treatment before we go to the hospital, but that is where she needs to be. They need to monitor her and the baby. I'm not even sure what medication if any, I can give her that won't harm the baby. I'll try to nebulizer her while she's sleeping, but Steph may wake up."

I watch Bobby get his stuff together and set up the nebulizer. Julie comes in to tell us that dinner is ready. She made a salad, grilled chicken with salsa, and brown rice. I make myself a plate and eat it while watching Stephanie. The fact that she's not waking up with the smell of the food is getting me even more concerned for her health right now. The closest hospital to this house is Monmouth Medical Center. I hope Bobby has an in there so that he can be kept in the loop with Steph's care. Bobby finished eating at the same time as I did, so we decided to head to the hospital. He calls ahead, to let them know we are coming and to tell them Stephanie's condition. Tank is staying at the house with Julie. I texted Hector once Tank and Bobby arrived and asked him to come here as well so he can be an extra set of hands and an extra body. He should be arriving in about 15 minutes. I run up to our room and pack a bag for Steph and my self with a couple of changes of clothes for me and her nightgowns and pajamas so she can be comfortable. Bobby double checks her vitals before we leave.

"Ranger, I'm still concerned about her breathing. It's a little better after the nebulizer treatment, but not where it should be. They may need to give her a steroid, but I don't know if they can with her being pregnant. I hope they can give her an antibiotic. If this is bacterial pneumonia, which I think it might be, we're in luck, because it is fairly easy to treat and will harm the baby the least. If it is viral or fungal, we have some more issues. They may want to take an x-ray, and if they do, it's okay. One x-ray won't harm the baby and will be the best way to determine if she does indeed have pneumonia. Just be prepared for what they may decide to do. I have a friend who is a nurse there, so hopefully, he can pave the way for me to be a part of her team, but I can't guarantee anything."

"Bobby, I understand. I just want Stephanie and the baby to be okay. Everything else is secondary. Whatever help you can give will be appreciated. Remember, we need to get her out of there as soon as possible. She will be royally pissed off about being in the hospital when she wakes up."

"Don't I know it. The only person worse than Bomber in the hospital is you, Ranger."

"Very funny. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes. I'm driving, I assume."

"Yes. I'll be in the back with Stephanie." I respond. "Julie, come here please."

Julie comes into the living room and walks over to me. "Yeah Dad, what do you want?"

"Is that how you respond to me?"

"Sorry. Dad, you wanted to talk to me?" Julie responded.

"Jules, I'm bringing Stephanie to the hospital with Uncle Bobby. Tank will stay here with you and Uncle Hector is coming and should be here soon. Please be careful. I'll call you once I know what is going on with Stephanie. I probably won't be home until she is released. She hates being in the hospital. I'll make sure that you can come up and visit Stephanie."

"Okay Daddy, take care of mom. I'll see you when I see you." She kisses me on the cheek and a hug. "Bye Uncle Bobby. Take care of my mom and my sister or brother."

"I will, querida, I will."

 **Stephanie's POV**

Ugh, what is that noise? Why does it feel like I have air blowing in my nose? Where am I? I should be in my room in Deal, but I don't think I am. Open your eyes, Stephanie, and look where you are. I finally get my eyes open and realize I am in the hospital, but not in St. Francis. I look around, and I see Carlos sleeping in the chair next to my bed. He looks like hell. How long have I been asleep?

"Carlos." I manage to whisper.

"Babe, you're awake. You had me worried, mi amor." Ranger responds while hitting the call button. "You've been here for almost 48 hours and have spent most of that time sleeping. You have pneumonia. You are being treated with antibiotics and oxygen. Your blood oxygen levels are improving. Once you hit 95 or higher, you'll be able to go home."

"Good afternoon, Ms. Plum. It's nice to see you awake. My name is Dr. Pirzada, and I am the pulmonologist on call here at Monmouth Medical Center. You have bacterial pneumonia, which while annoying, is not too bad. Your baby is doing fine, and you are doing much better. Your fever is down, and your oxygen levels are almost where they should be. If you continue to improve at this rate, you can go home tomorrow. We're going to take out the nasal cannula now that you are awake and hope that your oxygen level stays high. Do you have any questions?"

"When can I eat? I'm starving!" I respond.

"I'll have the nurses get a meal ready for you. It will be light, being that you haven't eaten in two days, but if you hold this down, you can have a normal dinner."

"Thanks, doctor." With that, Dr. Pirzada leaves the room.

"Carlos, why don't you go home and get some rest. You look like hell. I'll be okay here for a couple of hours."

"Babe, I'm not leaving here until you do. End of discussion."

"Who's with Julie?"

"Tank. He spoke with Lula."

"What did she have to say for herself?"

"She did it all because she was jealous of you and annoyed that Tank would drop everything to help you if you needed it and she felt that he put you ahead of her. She got paid well to pass along information about you."

"So Tank and Bobby are clear, right? They had nothing to do with Lula, right?"

"Yes, Babe, they are clear."

"I can't believe that she turned on me. I used to give her a part of all of my captures, even though she never had my back and was being paid as a file clerk. She never had to worry about money, but I always did, and she fucked me over. I just can't win. Why does everyone who I let get close tome decide to fuck me in one way or another? Am I that bad of a judge of character? First my mom, then my sister, the Burg, Joe, Lula, why do so many people hate me?" The tears started to fall down my face. Ranger came over to me and sat on the edge of my bed so he could hold me against him.

"Querida, mi amor, those people don't deserve you or understand you. You have everyone at Rangeman In your corner. They all love you and respect you for who you are, not what you should be. They see how wonderful and caring you are. Those other people, well you don't need them in your life." Ranger replies while rubbing my back.

"I hear you; I just don't understand," I tell Ranger after a few minutes. "Where is Lula?"

"Still in one of our holding cells. I figured you would want to confront Lula before we turn her over to TPD. Dalton is waiting to be turned over to the Army for a court-martial hearing. He will serve the rest of his life behind bars. No one is backing him anymore. We found the mole in the Army who was bankrolling him and who gave him the ability to come after me. He was found dead in his cell last night."

I know that Ranger had something to do with his death, and frankly, it didn't bother me. I have a feeling Dalton will have a similar fate.

XXXXXXXX

I was released two days later, and spend the next three days recuperating at our home in Deal. Julie was back in school and back on the bus. Dani and Lester were spending more time together. It was finally my day to confront Lula once and for all. Julie's bus picked her up, and Ranger and I got into the Turbo to drive to Trenton. While we were driving, I was thinking about all the things that I wanted to say to Lula. It seemed like we were back in Haywood before I could blink.

"Are you ready, Babe, or do you want to do some work first?"

"I want to see Lula first. I want to talk to her and then send her off to TPD. I want that bitch out of my life for good."

We entered the elevator and took it to the basement where the holding cells were located. I got out of the elevator and walked to her cell. I nodded to Vince and Binkie to let me in, and I entered without Ranger.

 **Lula's POV**

If it isn't Queen Bee, miss high and mighty herself, the Bombshell Bounty Hunter and walking disaster Stephanie Plum. Now I get to deal with her self-righteous behavior. I'm tired of this white girl thinking that she's all that and a bag of donuts. She's nothing but a whiny, conceited, self-centered bitch. I'll be more than happy to tell her why I wanted her and that brat she's carrying dead.

"Lula, why? Why did you sell me out?"

"Why? I did it because you are a self-centered bitch. You only care about yourself and never listen to anything I say. You think you are better than me, and you ridicule me for my sex life when you do nothing more than drag around men by their dicks before dropping them when the better model becomes available. You even stole my Tankie from me. He cared more about helping you and kept you safe than he did about being with me. That's why I made a lot of money trying to help get you killed. If you were out of the picture, Tankie and I would be together forever."

"But why would you try to hurt an innocent baby?"

"Because you took away my chance at being a mom. If it weren't for you, Ramirez would never have taken me and hurt me as he did. Because you made me talk to you, I lost my chance at being a mom, and you, the fuck up who never wanted kids, is having a baby with Batman. You are a fucking bitch."

"Lula, you are seriously deranged. When we went after FTAs together, I always gave you part of my capture money, even though you were being paid hourly by Vinnie. I often went with our food or rent money to help you out, and you go against me and try to have me killed. There were so many times that you being with me put my life in jeopardy, but yet I still let you come along. I have bought you more meals than you did me, and I have always treated you better than you treated me. I never once broke your confidence and told someone your secrets, but you constantly share mine. You are not a friend, and you are the narcissistic one. I hope you have fun in jail because you will be spending many years behind bars with cops all around you. Once the inmates find out you were a whore, then I'm sure you'll be Miss Popular. But, tight, barely fitting clothes are a thing of the past along with your ridiculous hair colors. For once in our life, you will be wearing age appropriate, size appropriate clothing. Enjoy your life in prison garb. Goodbye Lula."

With that, Stephanie turned her back on me.

 **Ranger's POV**

I'm so glad Stephnie stood up to Lula and told her off. She was nothing but a leech to Stephanie for years. I never understood why Stephanie would share her capture money with Lula, considering she did nothing and more often than not, put Stephanie's life in danger and made captures more difficult. But, that's Stephanie. She always gives money to my men when I order and pay them to help her out. She is just too generous for her good, but, fortunately, now she has me and my money, so she can afford to be generous without having to worry about where she's going to live or what she's going to eat for dinner. I know that Lula deserves more than jail, but Stephanie wouldn't let us do anything to her. With Lula having no money and no family, she won't be able to pay for a fancy attorney, and will never get off on her charges when going against a DA who has hours of video and audio evidence proving her culpability. She is in for a rude awakening. No more Cluck-a-Bucket or Tasty Pastry for her. I think that will be punishment enough for Lula, no junk food or fast food. I guess I can get behind that.

When the door opens I see Stephanie; I can tell that she will be alright. She confronted the bitch, and now we can move on with our lives. It's time for me to make this woman my wife, and I think we need to have this discussion tonight. Time to take her out to dinner. I can ask Lester and Dani to watch Julie tonight. I sure they would help Stephanie and me out.

"Proud of you, Babe."

"Thanks. It wasn' as hard as I thought it was going to be. Lula was never my friend, which is harder to get over, but I can see now how she used me so many times just to make herself happy. I don't know why I surrounded myself with so many useless people. I'm just grateful that I have you and my Mery Men now because I know that none of you will ever use me or betray me. I only wish I meet you all sooner."

"Babe, what matters is that you and I are in a good spot now. We have each other again, and I am not going anywhere anymore. I am here with you, Julie, and this little one on the way. We are in this together. I will keep you safe for the rest of my life."

"I know. And the same goes for you. You are stuck with me forever."

"Babe, I want to go out to dinner tonight, just the two of us. It's been so long since we got to do normal. I think we need a night to ourselves. I can ask Lester and Dani to watch Julie. I'm sure they will. That way, we can have time to be together alone before going back to our new lives."

"That sounds like a great idea. Do we have time to go home so I can get dressed for our date?"

"Yes, we can head to the house now, we'll go out to eat near Deal."

"Then let's go, Batman."

The elevator doors opened up, and Tank and Lester stepped out. Stephanie sees Tank and walks to him.

"How are you holding up? I know that it can't be easy for you to deal with what Lula did to all of us."

"It's tough, but she is not the woman who I thought she was. I noticed that she was always agitated when I had to leave, especially if you were involved, but I always thought that she was agitated because she was concerned about you. I never took her attitude as jealousy or envy. She even yelled at me the first time I went to visit you in California. But I told her that one of the core team had to see you make sure that everything was okay and that I was my turn. When she heard that we all were going out there on a rotating basis, she felt better, but she would always push me to cancel and send someone else. Lester was thrilled at the opportunity to go, so I would just ask him to go in my place. Which, as we know, turned out to be a good thing for the both of you, but I didn't get her animosity towards you."

"I don't think any of us realized how jealous she was. I certainly never picked up on it. But being a Monday morning quarterback is always easy."

"I just sorry that I didn't see any of the signs and that I didn't prevent this from happening to you. You had so much shit happen to you in your life, from your parents to Morelli, and you didn't deserve anything else, especially after Ranger returned to us."

"There was nothing you could do, Tank. No one blames you. Everything that happened is on Lula. You need to remember that, you are innocent."

"Thanks, Bomber. I needed to hear that."

"Lester, do you and Dani have plans tonight?" I ask.

"We were planning on staying in tonight, why?"

"Stephanie and I would like to go out, and I was wondering if you both would mind watch Julie and taking her to school tomorrow for us."

"No problem. I'll call Dani and tell her to take Julie home with her from school."

"Thanks, Lester," I say while I pat him on the shoulder.

Stephanie hugs Lester and kisses him on the cheek. "Thank you. I know I can always count on you."

With that, I take Stephanie's hand, and we walk into the elevator to start our night.

 **Stephanie's POV**

Ranger told me to dress nicely, and I put on a black and white wrap maternity dress and a pair of black flats. My hair is cooperating, so I'm wearing it down tonight. I wonder why he wants to go out suddenly. I know that we haven't much time alone, but it's just so random. I hope that everything is alright. The door to the room opens, and there he is, looking yummy as usual.

"Babe, are you ready?"

"Yup. All done."

"Good, let's go before I find a reason to stay home tonight and take this dress off of you, Babe."

"As much as I would like that, my hair is perfect tonight, and I want to show it off. But, we can come back here for dessert."

His eyes dilate and turn black. I love that look that he gets like he can't wait to devour me. I hope that we always have that look for each other. He places his hand on the small of my back an leads me to the Turbo. We drive into town to a fancy Italian restaurant. Of course, our table is the in the corner, with our backs to the wall where we can see the whole restaurant. Ranger orders for both of us, and then we start the talk.

"Babe, when do you want to get married?"

"I guess after we have this baby. It will be hard to plan a wedding while pregnant."

"Do you want a big wedding? Or would you maybe want something small and intimate."

"I guess I would like to celebrate with the guys at Rangeman and your family. We can have MaryLou, Connie, and the few other friends that I have outside of those two groups."

"Babe, if that's what you want, then I'll do that, but I frankly don't care. I just want to make you my wife already. I've waited too long, and I don't want to wait any longer. I would like this child to have my last name, along with his or her mother."

"So then let's plan something for February 1st then. We can marry at our home. MaryLou can be my matron of honor and Julie can be my only bridesmaid."

"Are you sure you're okay with this?"

"Yes. I don't care where or when, but if it's important to you for us to be married, then its important to me."

"Would you mind if I had Lester as my best man and Tank as my only usher?"

"No, Carlos, why would I mind?"

"Well, because of what you both had. I don't want it to be a slap in the face to Lester."

"I think he'll be honored. You are his idol, his hero, though he'd never admit it. He wants to be just as good as you are."

"Well, he could never be as good as me, but he is a close second."

"Okay, so tomorrow I'll talk to Ella about helping me plan our reception," I said before changing the subject. "Carlos, did you find out anything about Mary Alice or Angie? I'm still concerned about them. And whatever happened to that business that your sister and brother-in-law were going to do with Albert?"

Ranger laughed. "Once they found out that your sister wasn't close to you and was a bitch to you, they played him along, making Albert think he was getting the job. Finally, when it came time to sign the contract, at another one of Valerie's dinners, my sister ripped up the contract and said that she would never work with Albert and will make sure to tell everyone she knows not to use him because he doesn't value family. Anyone who can disrespect their loving, caring, kind-hearted sister does not deserve to live a good life."

"Ohmigod, Valerie could not have been happy," I replied laughing as well.

"Celia said that Valerie looked like she wanted to strangle her and her husband. She said that she finished her dessert, which was good, and then they left. Albert was out a lot of money from wining and dining them."

"Remind me never to get on the bad side of ou Manosos."

"On February 1st, you'll be a Manoso, Babe." With that, he kisses my hand.


	11. New Beginnings

**The story is mine; the characters belong to JE. I'm just playing. Smut warning for this chapter.**

 **Chapter 11 New Beginnings**

 **Lester's POV**

I'm always willing to help out Stephanie and Ranger, but tonight is a very inconvenient night. Tonight, I was planning on taking Dani to a very fancy restaurant for dinner. If you had asked me ten months ago if I ever would have imagined myself with a woman other than Stephanie Plum, I would've told you that you were crazy, but since I met Dani, I'm a changed man. Don't get me wrong, I still love Stephanie and probably always will. She is the first woman who I ever was able to admit saying that I love. The first woman who I spent more than a few weeks dating. She made me realize that I was ready for a grownup relationship and that I did want a family. Unfortunately, she and I were not meant to have a happily ever after. I felt an initial attraction to Dani because she reminded of Stephanie in some ways, physically, but that was until I got to know her. Dani and Beautiful share many of the same characteristics, both women are loving, generous, caring, selfless, and genuine, they both have a wicked sense of humor, but Dani can relate better to the dark inside me than Stephanie ever could because Dani has been on the front lines. She' has first-hand knowledge of what fighting does to the soul and body, and when I have one of my nightmares, she can get me stable better than Stephanie ever could, not that she didn't try. As much as I have wanted to, I haven't made a move on Dani yet. I don't want our relationship to revolve around lust only. But, I now feel that we have a good, solid friendship and I'm ready to take our relationship to the next step. She won't be a rebound fuck, I wouldn't do that to her, which is another reason why I waited so long. Therefore, tonight was the night when I was going to tell her that I wanted a more committed, serious relationship with her, and then Ranger drops the babysitting bomb on me. I know that with everything that has gone on since he returned, they have had very little time along, and keeping Stephanie under 24-hour surveillance did not help her to adjust to her new life. I know that she, more so than Ranger, needs a night to decompress and remind her of why she loves Ranger. Being the mother of a teenager overnight is not an easy adjustment, especially for someone who up until recently, was so anti-children.

I call Dani and wait for her to pick up the phone.

 _"_ _Hello, Dani Cono speaking. How may I help you?_

"Hey Baby, Ranger asked me to call you. Can you please bring Julie with you back to my house tonight? We're on babysitting duty until she get's out of school tomorrow."

 _"_ _Is everything okay with Stephanie?"_

"Everything is fine. Ranger wants to take her out for the night, just the two of them. They have had no time alone in a long time. She's getting burnt out and restless. I hope you don't mind. I know we were planning on going out to eat tonight, but we can do that tomorrow night instead if that's okay with you."

 _"_ _It's not a problem. I can only imagine how hard things must be for Stephanie. I know that she's be around you guys for a long time, but a civilian never is fully capable of dealing with our security measures without feeling trapped."_

"You said it. Thanks for understanding, Baby. I'll cook dinner tonight. What are you in the mood for, Baby?"

 _"_ _How about steak, potatoes, and broccoli rabe?"_

"Your wish is my command. I'll see you later. Love you, Baby." Love you, Baby. Did I just tell Dani that I loved her? I guess there's no going back now.

 **Ranger's POV**

I know that Stephanie has no clue how beautiful she is in my eyes. She is the most exquisite woman I have ever seen. However, thanks to her Mom, the Burg, and Morelli, she has no sense of self-worth. I'm trying my best to build her up, and I can tell that Lester did a good job when I was away. She's more confident now then she was when I first met her. She thinks that I'm in my driving zone, but I'm just thinking about all the ways that I want to make love to her when we get home. Pregnancy suits her; she has a glow about her that Rachel never had with Julie. Finally, I'm at the gate. I fob our way into the gates, and we pull up to the front door. Before she can get her door open, I'm standing next to her ready to escort her into our home. I give her my hand. "My lady, are you ready to enter our home?"

"Of course I am." She looks at me slyly, and I'm trying to figure out what's going on in that beautiful mind of hers. We enter the house, and she kicks off her shoes before turning to me and kissing me. "It's just the two of us, and I need you right here, right now."

Who am I to argue? I pick her up and carry her to the couch while kissing her. Once I place her on her feet, I quickly remove her dress. I let my thumbs run over her nipples, which are twice as sensitive as they were before her pregnancy. I can see that she is already so completely turned on. I remove her bra and panties and start to kiss her breasts while allowing my fingers to attack her between her legs. I rub her clit and place two fingers inside her. I hear her breath hitch and can feel her building to her first climax of the night. I place another finger inside her wet core, and I feel her lose herself. Once she is done, I bring my face down between her legs. I love the taste of her juices and her scent. I can't wait to drink her up and make her come all over again. This time, I let my hands abuse her breasts, by pinching her nipples and rubbing each breast, all while I am using my tongue to hit her g-spot. I can feel her body building to another climax, wi=hile she has her hands in my hair. Dios, this woman drives me crazy. I feel her ready to come again, and I take all her juices while she comes in my mouth. Now, I need her around my cock. I need to be inside her. She is ready for me. I bring her hips to the edge of the couch, and I place my hardness at her entrance. She wraps her legs around me, and I know she's ready. I kiss her while I slowly move in and out of her core. I'm trying not to release too quickly because I do want to come with her. I finally feel that she is ready to go over again, so I pick up the pace, and I feel her squeeze around my cock. I'm ready, and she is. We both find our release simultaneously, and I continue to move inside her until we are both completely spent.

"I love you, Babe."

"Me too, Carlos. Thank you."

Once our breathing evens out, I carry her to our bedroom, where I plan on having a few more rounds with my Babe.

 **Dani's POV**

I love spending time with Lester, even though all we do is have dinner and watch television. I am ready to take our relationship to the next level, but I'm not sure he's ready. I know that there are still underlying feelings for Stephanie in his heart, and I know that I have to try to erase her from his mind, but it's hard to do when we are always around her. I love her, and she's a great woman, but having Lester guard her is not helping him to move on. I know that she is trying to keep her distance and make sure that Lester knows that she is over him, but there are still too many times that I see them both reliving something from their romance. I'm just afraid that I'm going to be the rebound chick that gets thrown away once the guy comes to his senses. But then again, Lester did say that he loves me. I do love him. Maybe I need to let our date tomorrow night happen and see where we go from there. Julie is a wonderful girl, and I do enjoy spending time with her. Maybe I can pick her brain a bit about Stephanie, you know, just between us girls.

 **Julie's POV**

Uncle Lester made a great dinner tonight. I was disappointed not to be going home, but I know that mom and dad need some alone time. I know that mom never expected to have me full time as her daughter, but she has accepted me fully, and I am so grateful. So many of my friends have stepmothers who are evil and mean, and I have one who is better than my biological mother. I am very lucky. I just hope she doesn't resent me as time goes on because I am taking attention away from her and her baby. I don't think that will happen, but one never knows. We have a special bond after surviving Scrog together. I know that if she were able, she would have shot him herself. When I saw her fall apart after dad was shot, I knew that she was in love with him. I know that even though dad loves me now, then he was going to her apartment to save Stephanie, not me as much. If Scrog had killed Stephanie and spared me, he would have been devastated. It hurt me at first to admit that, but after my therapist explained how we didn't have a true relationship, I understood more, and that is what motivated me to push for a better relationship with dad, much to Rachel's annoyance.

I'm just about to turn off the lights in my guest room when Dani knocks. "Hey Jules, can I come in?"

"Of course. What's up Dani?"

"I feel funny asking you this, but I don't feel that I can talk to anyone else about this."

"What is it?"

"What is the deal between Lester and Stephanie?"

Wow, that's a big question. "Well, Uncle Lester has always liked mom, but I don't think that he would have ever acted on his feelings if my dad was around. Once he was out of the picture, Uncle Lester was able to act on his feelings, but he always knew that my mom loved my dad more than anyone else. I know it was hard when everything first happened when mom and dad got back together, but I know that he is now complete over Stephanie. Will they always have their moments, of course, but he knows that she is not an option for him. I think he is ready to move on."

"I just don't understand the draw that everyone has to Stephanie."

"She was the first person from the outside to see them all as men first, mercenaries second. She took time to get to know them, visited them when they were hurt, and genuinely cares about every one of them. That's why they all love her. She can see through their scars to see the real man inside. She can see the good inside my dad, which is something Rachel was never able to see."

"So, you truly feel that Lester is over Stephanie?"

"Dani, I know that if he realized that you want a relationship with him, he would jump a the opportunity and wouldn't look back. He's a good man, and he will make you happy. He would never have made Stephanie happy, she would have been content, but never happy."

"Thank you, Julie. I don't know when you became so wise."

"It's the Manoso genes. They make me a part superhero." With that, we hug, and she leaves. I hope Uncle Lester doesn't screw things up. Dani is a much better match for him then mom. I hope mom and dad are having fun tonight so I can join them back home tomorrow. I think I'll have to try and set up a monthly date night for the two of them. I'll get grandma and bisabuela involved.

 **Stephanie's POV**

Last night was a welcomed surprise. I didn't realize how much I missed my alone time with Carlos. I just feel bad that we had to change Lester's plans. I think he had a romantic evening with Dani planned until we stuck him with Julie. Hopefully, he and Dani can have their date night tonight. I can see that she is perfect for Lester. She can handle his playboy ways and can keep him in line. I hope they get together. If nothing happens soon, I may have to give them a little nudge in the right direction.

Our February 1st wedding date is about six weeks away, so I need to start planning things with Ella. We need to decide who we are inviting, and I have to get a dress. As for me, the only people that I will personally be inviting are Connie, MaryLou and Lenny, and Joe and Lauren. How pathetic, I only have five people to invite to my wedding. Of course, my Merry Men will be invited, but I know them through Ranger. I want Ranger's siblings, parents, and grandmothers to be there. I guess I'll let him decide which Merry Men will be invited.

I realize that he never answered my questions about Mary Alice. I'll ask him when he finishes in the gym. I pour myself my second cup of coffee and Ranger enters the room, fresh from a shower dressed in his Rangeman uniform. God, he's still the sexiest man alive. "Morning Carlos."

"Morning, Babe. Did you eat breakfast yet?"

"No, I was waiting for you."

"Do you want me to make you an omelet?"

"Only if you are going to have one."

With that, Ranger starts to get everything set up for our breakfast. "What is going on with Mary Alice?"

Ranger does his version of a sigh and then starts to talk. "She is seeing the counselor at her school a lot. Apparently, she feels misunderstood at home. She is not allowed to pick out her clothes because she chooses inappropriate outfits. She prefers to wear jeans and t-shirts, but her mother insists that she wear dresses. Leggings are okay if she has a dress on and it's a gym day. She was asked to be part of her school's robotics team because she is really strong in science, but her mother said no, that it was not an activity that a young lady should be involved in and made her join the cooking club, which she detests. Angie fits the Burg mold correctly, so she is the perfect daughter. Mary Alice is told that she needs to be more like Angie. Angie, however, is not happy either. She hates having to be so restricted. She wants to go to school to become an English teacher, but her mother says that young Burg woman does not need to go to college when they are going to be a stay at home mothers and housewives. No college degree is needed. She should focus on cooking and cleaning."

"My God, Carlos, Valerie is worse than my mother."

"Yes, she seems to be. I have spoken with my lawyer, and there is a chance that you can take custody of the girls by saying that Valerie is an unfit mother and abusive. Their counselors have enough evidence to back the statement. The question is, though, does the woman who didn't want to have any children suddenly want to be a mother of four. A high school Junior in Julie, an eighth grader in Angie, and a sixth grader in Mary Alice, along with having a newborn in a few months. We have enough space here for all of them, but do you want that Stephanie?"

I hear what Carlos is telling me, and it is daunting to think that I could be a mother of four in a heartbeat, but I can't see Angie and Mary Alice getting smothered anymore. They deserve to be able to choose their own life, and if they choose the Burg housewife, that should be their choice, not the demand. If Carlos accepts my nieces, then I will fight for them, especially for Mary Alice. "Carlos, I don't think I have a choice. If I don't stand up for them, who will? Albert is a weakling, and while Lisa is too young for us to know how she will turn out, she has a father there, that, hopefully, will prevent the same fate from befalling her once his eyes are opened to my crazy sister."

"Babe, it that's what you want, then we'll meet with the lawyer today and start the process."

"You don't mind taking in my sister's kids?"

"Babe, I see the scars that you carry from living that life and receiving that abuse. I couldn't, in good consciousness, turn my back on others who are being abused like you were."

"Thank you. But I think we need to speak to Julie first. I don't want her to feel left out. She is our first daughter, and she should have a say in if she wants to share us with two other children."

"Okay, we'll talk to Julie tonight, and depending on what she says, then we'll take the next steps tomorrow." Ranger puts my omelet in front of me and kisses me. "Proud of you, Babe."

We eat our breakfast in comfortable silence before we are ready to go to work.

 **Lester's POV**

I made reservations for Rossini's for seven tonight. I texted Dani the information. I'm picking her up at six thirty. I'm a little nervous that she won't want what I want. Maybe I should cancel.

"Honey, is everything okay? You seem very distant tonight." Stephanie asks me.

"He, Beautiful, everything is good. Did you have a good date night?"

"Yes, we had a great night, thank you again for taking Julie. I don't know if we will have many more date nights in our future, especially being that our family may be expanding even more than we planned."

"What do you mean?"

"Carlos and I are going to talk to Julie, but there is a possibility that we are going to try and get custody of my nieces, Mary Alice and Angie. I seem that my sister is even worse than my mother was to me. I can't let her do that to those girls."

"Wow, beautiful, four kids. Are you sure you can handle that?"

"No, but I'll give it a shot. The only upside is that three of them are older, so it should be a little easier."

"IF anyone could pull it off, you and Ranger are the ones."

"How are things with you and Dani? Last night didn't cause any problems between you?"

"Things are good. I think I'm ready to let Dani know that I want a serious, committed relationship with her. I think we are good together, and I can see her as being my wife, someday."

With that, Stephanie gave me a bright smile. "I think you two are great for each other. I was hoping that you would move forward with your relationship. She can give you what you want, and she understands where you've been."

"Do you think she feels the same way?"

"Most definitely. I was getting ready to nudge you guys along if you didn't move along on your own."

"I'm glad you approve and that we have your blessing."

"Of course, Honey. I want you to be happy and in love with a woman who can give you all of her heart. It is what you deserve. I wasn't right for you, and I don't know if we would've been truly happy."

"Beautiful, I feel the same way. I think we were the best of what was available, but you would never be as happy with me as you are with my cousin. I'm glad he came back to you. You two meant for each other."

"I know tonight will go well. I want to hear the details tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, Steph."

With that, she sashayed out of my office to her office. God, I love that woman, and she is right. I'm glad that she is fine with me moving forward with Dani. Knowing that she approves of Dani is making it easier for me to admit my feelings.

I pull in front of Dani's house. It's exactly six thirty. I get out to walk to her door as she opens the front door and lets herself out. I meet her on the porch and escort her to the car. "You look beautiful, Dani."

"Thank you, Lester."

She was wearing a black baby doll style, cap sleeve dress with red leggings on under the dress. She had on four-inch black boots that went up to her knee. Her hair was down and straight, and she looked delicious. I open the door for her, and she settles in. I resist kissing her but know that I will be kissing her before the night is over. I walk around and let myself in the car and start to drive.

Once we arrive a Rossini's, I park my car. We get out and walk into the restaurant. We sit at the table and order wine, appetizers and our meal. Once that is settled, we start to talk. "Dani, I have enjoyed spending time with you. It is nice to have someone I can talk to other than Bobby."

"I've enjoyed our time together as well. We have a lot in common, which makes it easy to spend time with you. You are very funny, and together, we can cause a lot of trouble at Rangeman."

"You're right. And if we add Stephanie into our plans, we may all get fired." I look at her face, and I can see that mentioning Stephanie was not the right move. Fuck. I didn't mean to make her feel bad.

"Did I ever tell you about the prank Stephanie and I pulled on Bobby?"

"No, you didn't."

"Well, she had gotten a strained elbow courtesy of one of her skips and Bobby wouldn't stop lecturing her on how much shit she carried in her purse and how heavy it was and that it wasn't good for her to be lugging that much around. She gets fed up and came to me to try and figure out payback. So, we got about 50 ten pound masses and taped them to everything in Bobby's medical bag in inconspicuous spots, including in the lining. Well, he quickly discovered everything on his supplies, but he didn't find the ten in the lining. It took him about a month before he realized what we did, and that was only because the stitch Stephanie put in was starting to come undone." By the time I finished the story, Dani was laughing, and I can see that she wasn't as upset about the Stephanie comment.

"You're right; she would make us unstoppable," Dani replied.

"You know everything is over between Stephanie and me. We are just friends. She is like a sister to me. I will always look out for her, and if anything were to happen to Ranger, I would help her in any way I could because she will be family. Ranger and I are cousins; you know that, right?"

"Yes. I remember Mariela telling me about you."

"Uh oh, then you didn't hear many good things."

"Lester, I know that both you and Carlos were playboys in your own right. I get it. You both had the looks, the swagger, and the mystic. Women are drawn to you. But I know that aside from Stephanie, you have never had a serious relationship with a woman. I think we are on our way to a serious relationship. Am I correct in that assumption?"

"Yes, Dani, you are. You are the first woman that I have ever meet that I didn't want to get into my bed immediately. When I first met Stephanie, my thoughts were how would I get her into my bed; then my cousin claimed her and I knew I had no chance. But with you, I wanted to get to know you first, as a person, before I get to know you in that other, biblical sense. Are you ready for a committed relationship with me? I come with baggage, and you need to know that Stephanie will always be an important part of my life. If you can share me with her, with you having ninety-five percent of me, then I want to see where a relationship will take us."

"I would like to find out as well, Lester. I do understand your complicated relationship with Stephanie, and I respect it. Lester Santos, I want to give us a try."

"Well then, let's do it."

The waiter gave me the check, and we left the restaurant. "My place or yours, Baby?"

"My place. I know you have a change of clothes in the car."

"Your place it is, my lady." Twenty minutes later I park my car in her driveway. We walk up to her porch with my hand on the small of her back. I love the way her body feels against mine. Once we get into her house, we walk to the kitchen. She pours two glasses of wine, and we each take a sip. I put my glass down and place my hands around her waist. I lean in and kiss her. It starts off as a gentle kiss, but I make it more intense.

 **Dani's POV**

Oh boy, can Lester kiss? I think I had an orgasm just from that kiss. Thank goodness I have condoms on hand because we are going to need them tonight if that kiss is any indicator. I reach my arms around his neck to pull him closer to me to keep the kiss going. I start to unbutton the dress shirt that he is wearing and pull it off of him. Damn, is he smokin'. He has great abs and a great muscular chest. He pulls my dress up over my head and throws it on the floor. He brings his mouth down and kisses my breasts through my bra. He gently nips at my nipples while they get hard. Man, this guy sure has skills. I run my nails down his back and try to undo his pants. When I finally get the button undone and the zipper down, I find that he is commando. His impressive member falls out, and I can't help but stroke his cock with both my hands. Meanwhile, Lester is taking my pants off along with my panties and boots. Once I am free of my clothes, he places me on the counter and starts to like my core. He gently sucks my clit and runs his fingers inside me. It's been a couple of years since I've been with a man and I am reaching my climax quickly. I finally come, and he stands up and kisses me again. He lifts me and carries me to my bedroom. I open the drawer to the nightstand and pull out the box of condoms that I have. Lester immediatley grabs one and places it on his impressive cock. He rubs my core to get some of the juices on his hands so he can lubricate himself before entering me. He gently pushes me, giving me time to adjust to his size. Then he starts to slowly move in and out of me while kissing and playing with my breasts. When I feel myself starting to climax again, he reaches his hand between us and rubs my clit. We both come together. He collapses on me, holding himself up with his forearms not to crush me. Once his breathing is controlled, he lies on his back and pulls me on top of him.

"Thank you, Lester, that was great."

"You welcome. I enjoyed it too." He gently runs his hand up and down my arm, and I feel myself starting to tingle again. I guess we'll be using several more condoms tonight.

 **Stephanie's POV**

I'm twenty-one weeks pregnant and about two and a half weeks away from my wedding. The guest list is set, the food is picked out, and I have everything I need, except a dress. I decide that I don't want a white or off-white dress. This is the second marriage for both Carlos and me, and we are expecting our first child, so I don't need to pull off virginal. Also being almost 24 weeks pregnant when we are getting married makes finding something difficult. I decided to look for a nice maternity dress. Today is my day to find it, though, because tomorrow starts the custody hearing for Angie and Mary Alice. I should probably look for some clothes for the next few days as well. I have Ella and Dani with me as we head to the maternity store. Mary Lou is meeting us there. Julie is with her father, learning some new self-defense moves. I find a very pretty, sapphire blue wrap style dress with long sleeves. The dress ends about two inches above my knees and will look good on me well into my third trimester. I decide that that is my wedding gown. I find a few pairs of maternity dress pants with the big elastic control top-like band. I also bought about ten different tops to wear with them. All of which would be appropriate for court.

Mary Lou was ecstatic to be my Matron of Honor and thought that having Julie as my sole bridesmaid was perfect, but we all agreed that if I had custody of Mary Alice and Angie, they would have to be flower girls. I'm fine with all my "daughters" standing with me while I marry their "father." Once I make my purchases, we decide to go to Pino's for lunch.

In Pino's I order my meatball sub, Mary Lou gets a personal pizza, Ella a chicken caesar salad with a slice of pizza, and Dani gets a chicken parmigiana sub. Dani takes the first bite of her sub.

"Oh, my goodness, Steph, the good hear is amazing."

"I know. It's my favorite place."

Suddenly, Morelli is at the table. "Hi, cup…Stephanie, Mar. How are you?"

"We're good, Joe. Morelli, this is Ella, and this is Dani. Dani is a nurse at Julie's school and a good friend to my future sister-in-law Mariela."

"Nice to meet you," Joe responded.

"Wait, is our name Joseph Anthony Morelli?" Dani asks.

"Yes. How would you know that?"

"I knew your cousin, John Morelli."

"How did you know John? He died about ten years ago, maybe longer. He was still in the service when he died."

"I was in the nurse corps. I was his nurse when he got injured. He was the only patient I ever lost. I was close to him, as close as a nurse could be to her patient, that is."

I could tell by Dani's tone and Joe's posture that this conversation wasn't going to be a good conversation. I was trying to think back, and I remember that John had committed suicide because his girl got knocked up by someone else and he couldn't handle the betrayal on top of his injuries. I wonder what Joe has to do with his cousin.

"Do you ever see your child? Or did you abandon both mother and child after John killed himself."

"I don't know what you are talking about, but I suggest that you don't go around spreading rumors. The Burg doesn't like that."

"I would think that the Burg would like to know that one of their own impregnated his cousin's girl and then left her high and dry when she was pregnant. What do you have to say for yourself, Joseph?"

"You don't know anything, so it will be best if you keep your nose out of my business."

"Joe, you know damn well that if Dani needs to get the facts, we can find them. We both have access to Rangeman's search programs. Is any part of what she is saying the truth, Joe?"

"Stephanie, this is not the time or the place to discuss my past."

"Joe, is there any truth to what she is saying?"

"Yes, I slept with my cousin's woman, though not on purpose. I got her pregnant and did not take responsibility. I was a dumb jackass then. I don't know what happened to her or the baby because I never followed up. And to be honest, I haven't thought about them since it happened. I'm a different person now than I was then. I grew up when I met Lauren."

"Damn it, Joe; you are scum. And you stood there and talked about Carlos poaching when you were no better. You are a fucking hypocrite. You know what, Joe, I don't think I want to be friends with someone like you. I hope Lauren knows about all of your secrets, because if she doesn't, you may be the one left high and dry." I respond.

With that, Joe walks away from our table. "Dani, you have to tell me the story from start to finish."

"Stephanie, why do you care?"

"Dani, I dated Morelli on and off for years before Ranger, and I got our acts together and decided that we were the ones for each other. Joe and I have a long history that starts when he molested me in his father's garage when I was six, and he was eight, to when he raped me behind the counter at Tasty Pastry when I was sixteen, then he wrote about me all over the bathroom walls around Trenton. The next day, he left for the Navy. When he returned two years later, I ran him over with my father's Buick and broke his leg. So, I want to now this story about Joe Morelli."

Dani told us the story, and by the time she was done, there were four sets of teary eyes. "That fucking asshole. I can't believe I slept with him and considered marrying him. He's a scumbag."

"Amen sister," MaryLou replies.

"You should try to find that poor girl and give her Joe's information. That way, if she wants to go after child support, she can find Joe." Ella adds.

I respond, "I think that is a great idea, Ella, let's get started."

 **Author's Note: I am winding down this story. I feel that there may only be another 2, maybe three chapters at most left. I will try and tie up all of the loose ends, but there may be a sequel. I haven't decided if I want to end the story with an epilogue, or if I want to continue it with a sequel. Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews, and please keep them coming. If you need to know anything that I'm missing, please let me know. I want to make sure I tie up all loose ends. Thank you again for all of your support!**


	12. The Girls

**The characters belong to JE; I'm just taking them out for a ride. Warning for language.**

 **Chapter 12 The Girls**

 **Valerie's POV**

I can't believe that I have to fight for the custody of my children. What right does that self-righteous bitch have to interfere with how I am raising my girls. I want them to be proper Burg girls when they grow up, like me. Is that so bad? Did I turn out horrible? No. I have a husband who is a lawyer, a house, a car, and three beautiful girls. I have everything I need and want. Meanwhile, that bitch is unmarried and pregnant. She doesn't know how to cook, and she has stalkers and other crazy people after her constantly. Her cars blow up, and she's marrying a mercenary. There is no way that she will take my girls away from me. When I asked Angie andMary Alice what this was all about, they refused to talk to me. When I spoke to their counselors at school, I was told that they couldn't talk to me. When Albert when up as our lawyer, we found out that the girls were unhappy with the rules of the house. Well, they should suck it up. I'm the parent, and I make the rules. If mom had been stricter with Stephanie, we wouldn't be here right now. She is such an embarrassment. If only she married Joe Morelli, everything would be fine. But now I have to deal with the disaster known as Stephanie Plum. I wish she would move away from Trenton already. The only good thing is that I know that she doesn't have a place big enough for the girls, so that will be in my favor. Stupid bitch. I put on my black slacks with my peach colored sweater set. I have my hair fixed conservatively, with light makeup. I have a pair of two-inch black heels, dressed as any self-respecting Burg housewife would dress for court. One look at me and then Steph and I'll be in the clear.

Albert, the girls, and I arrive at the courthouse, and there are reporters everywhere. We put the girls between us and try to make our way into the courthouse; the reports are relentless. We see a Porsche pull up and see the bitch and the mercenary get out. I can't believe it; he's wearing a black Armani suit with a crisp white shirt and black tie. He looks like he could be on the cover of GQ. And that bitch looks normal, her hair is fixed in pretty curls, and she is wearing black maternity dress pants and a pretty blue top with flats. If I didn't know better, I would never believe that they were Stephanie and Ranger. I look at Albert's bargain basement suit and know we are in trouble. The reporters try to surround them, but his mercenaries for hire keep the reporters at bay, and they enter the courthouse quickly. He has his arm on her back, and they are doing a good job presenting a united front.

We finally get to the courthouse and the courtroom. Albert sets up his stuff on the table, and then the other attorney walks in with Ranger and Stephanie. He, like Ranger, is wearing Armani. His leather briefcase has to cost as much as Albert's whole ensemble. Mary Alice and Angie see their Aunt Stephy, but they know they are not to talk to her. The court sends in an officer to sit with the girls in another room until they are needed. They are not to be subjected to this circus. The bailiff stands and calls the court to order. I look around the room and see four other men in black, half of the Burg busybodies, and Grandma Mazur's Clip and Curl friends. Who would think that a simple custody case would be so interesting to the Burg? The judge asks the other attorney, Julio Escobar, to present his case.

"Your honor, counselor, and guests, this custody case is about rescuing a protecting two young ladies from being subjected to continued emotional and psychological abuse by their mother, Valerie Kloughn. Her two eldest daughters, Angelica Marie and Mary Alice, have been seeing the counselor in their school for the last year and a half because of the way Mrs. Kloughn treats them. The family is estranged from their maternal Aunt, Stephanie Plum, and their maternal grandparents are deceased. Their father, Steve Jankovic, walked out on them and their mother several years ago and they have not been in contact with their biological father since. They are in an isolated household, where they are only in the company of their mother, step-father, Albert Kloughn, and his mother, along with their younger half-sister, Lisa Ann. The counselors have reported that the girls are not given any choices in what they wear, what their dreams should be, or in how they are to excel in school. Anything that does not fit into their mother's view of proper activities for future Burg women is not allowed. Mary Alice was asked to be on her school's Robotics team, but her mother didn't allow it because she said that "A woman doesn't need to be smart to be a good housewife." Instead, she was forced to enroll in a cooking club. Angie and Mary Alice are only allowed to wear dresses and have to do activities that will help them to become housewives. When Angie told her mother that she wanted to go to college to become an English teacher, she was told that Burg girls don't need college and it's a waste of money because once she gets married, she won't be working. This type of passive abuse is destroying these two girls and is the reason why my clients, Ms. Plum and Mr. Manoso are applying for custody of Angie and Mary Alice. Ms. Plum and Mr. Manoso are engaged and will be married in a few weeks, are expecting their first child together in May, and have custody of Mr. Manoso's sixteen-year-old daughter, Julie. They have a large house in Deal along with the monetary assets to send the girls to private school and to whatever college or university they choose to attend. Their home has eight bedrooms and is large enough to accommodate two additional children. As owners of Rangeman security, they can keep the girls safe. Stephanie had dealt with the same emotional and psychological abuse as her nieces at the hand of her mother. She survived and will help the girls to rebuild their self-esteem. Therefore, your Honor, we believe that having the girls live with Ms. Plum and Mr. Manoso will be in their best interest."

"Mr. Kloughn, do you have anything you would like to say?" the Judge asks Albert. Meanwhile, I'm beyond pissed. I can't believe that Stephanie would spew such lies! She's a disaster and always has been. Jumping off the garage trying to fly, fucking Joe Morelli in Tasty Pastry, being a bounty hunter, I mean, come on who in their right mind would see her as a more fit parent than me?

"Your Honor," Albert began, "The allegations brought against my wife Mrs. Kloughn are unfounded. Valerie is a loving and caring mother who only wants what is best for her daughters. Life as a housewife and mother is the life that will keep them safe and happy like she is. We have been instilling in our daughters that they are to get married young to a good man who can support them. Then, they are to take care of their home and raise their family. Dinner is a family affair and should be served at six o'clock every night. If their husband has a business dinner, they are to be a good hostess. These are values that have gotten lost in today's society. If they were to live with Ms. Plum and Mr. Manoso, why would be subjected to stalkers, blown up vehicles, and numerous men having access to them and their home? There is no guarantee that they would be safe around these men. Mr. Manoso is now to carry multiple guns and other weapons on him at any given time. He was presumed dead for three years. Ms. Plum has been engaged to three different men since she got divorced from her first husband, respected attorney Richard Orr, and claims that she will marry Mr. Manoso. Considering that no one has received an invitation to this event, I can only assume that this is a trick that she is employing to steal our daughters away from us. This is a woman who for years stated that she didn't want to be a mother and was afraid that she wouldn't be a good mother, and now she wants to become a mother of four overnight? She can't even cook a meal. I firmly believe that putting Angie and Mary Alice in her custody would result in them turning to a life of crime and immoral behavior. Leave them where they are safe, in a church-going, stable family."

Take that. My cuddle-ompkins did a good job. Now the judge will see how Stephanie is behind her designer clothes. I wonder what weapons Ranger has on him now. The judge is ready to speak. "Counselors, you have both given two sides to this case, which are very different from each other. The only way I can make an informed decision on this matter is to speak to the two girls in questions, Angelica and Mary Alice. I will speak to both of them, separately, in chambers. Their school counselor will be with them during the conversation. I don't want their answers to influence by either counselor. If you, Mrs. Kloughn, don't agree to this, then the girls will have to testify in open court for all to hear. What do you decide?"

Well, fuck me. If they talk to the judge alone, I'm going to lose my girls. If they talk in the open court, then everyone will hear whatever lies they have to say. Maybe they will lie and back me up in open court. That's it; they will talk in open court. That's the only way I can ensure that my bitch of a sister will never take them from me. "Your Honor, I prefer to hear what my daughters have to say."

The judge shoots we a glare that would have normal people cowering, but not me. I hold my head high and wait for him to agree. "As you wish, Mrs. Kloughn, but if you in anyway try to influence their responses, you will be removed from the courtroom. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," I respond.

 **Albert's POV**

What is Valerie thinking? Doesn't she know that this can only be bad for us? She was better off having the girls talk behind closed doors. I told her not to allow them to testify in full court, but does she listen, no. I know that I am not the best lawyer, but I do know about perception and child custody cases. She is stupid and blind. Stephanie is going to come out looking like an angel and Valerie is going to be the wicked witch of the west. Sigh. I guess we need just to cross our fingers and hope for the best.

 **Stephanie's POV**

Why is my sister going to subject those girls to the Burg ridicule? No matter what they say, they are going to full the Burg gossip train for the next year. They won't have any normalcy. I can see most of their friends abandoning them because their parents won't want them to hang out with the two misfits who spoke ill of their mother. God, when did Valerie become so evil? I can see Albert doesn't like that decision. Maybe, after this is over, he'll take Lisa away, so she has a chance at a normal, healthy childhood. I see Angie being brought into the courtroom first. I hope Mary Alice is scared of herself. The social worker escorts Angie to the witness stand next to the judge.

"What is your name for the record?"

"Angelica Marie Plum, formerly Jankovich."

"How old are you?"

"I'm thirteen years old. I'll be fourteen in two months, on March 26th."

"Do you know that when you are in court, you suppose, to tell the truth?"

"Yes, sir. If I don't, you can lock me up in jail."

"Ms. Plum, we will be having a conversation, just between the two of us. No one else will question you. You need to tell truth and be honest so that I can determine the best place for you to live."

"Please call me Angie. My guidance counselor, Mr. Bryant, explained the process to me."

"Okay, Angie, are you happy at home?"

"Sometimes I am. When I am helping mom cook dinner or make dessert, I'm very happy. I love decorating the house for holidays and being part of a family. But there are times when I wish I didn't live there."

"When do you feel that way?"

"When mom is yelling at MA for being a horse, or when she messes up when we're cooking. MA doesn't like to cook, so she tends to make mistakes because she's not paying attention."

"What does your mother say to her?"

"That she will never find a husband and will live her life as an old maid. That she will get into trouble like Aunt Stephy, that she will disgrace our family if she doesn't act more like a proper Burg girl."

"Do you like the role your mom has for you?"

"Maybe. I know I want to go to school and I want to be a teacher. I have a lot of teachers who are females who are married with kids. I know that that is a profession I can have where I can still take care of my family but also work doing something that I will love, hopefully. But mom doesn't want me going to college. I don't even have a college fund."

"If you were given a choice to live with your mom and her rules, or to live somewhere else, what would you choose?"

Angie didn't answer right away. I can see her trying to weight her response. "I love my mom, but I want to live with someone who will let me have my dreams and will encourage me to be me. If I choose to be like my mom when I'm older, I want it to be my choice. I want to learn to cook and clean, but I also want to be with someone who works and who has a sense worth outside the house. I want to be like my Aunt Stephy."

"If given the opportunity to live with Aunt Stephy and Mr. Manoso, would you want that?"

"Yes. Aunt Stephy always supports MA and me, and she lives her life the way she wants to, which I admire about her."

"Thank you, Angie, for being honest with me. I'm going to have this same conversation with your sister now. I will make my decision today. Is that okay with you?"

"Yes, sir. That's good for me."

Angie got off the chair and waved to me as she left the room. I am so proud of her for standing up for herself. I know that it wasn't easy, and I'd love to have her as my 'daughter'. Hopefully, Mary Alice can be just as forthcoming.

Mary Alice is escorted into the courtroom, and she looks at her mother and then me. She is scared of Valerie, I can see it in her eyes. I am sad that I couldn't help her sooner. She needed my help, and I abandoned her. Well, hopefully, I can make things right by her now. Mary Alice sits in the seat that was vacated by her sister a few minutes before.

"Good morning my dear. Can I place have your name for the record?" The judge asks her.

"Mary Alice Plum."

"How old are you?"

"12."

"Do you know what it means to tell the truth?"

"Yes. It means to tell you what is happening, not something in my imagination."

"Tell me, Mary Alice, are you happy at home with your mom and dad?"

"Not really. I don't think my mom likes me. She is always telling me that I'm doing things wrong or that I'm not going to be a proper Burg wife. That I will wind up in alone and the joke of the Burg like Aunt Stephy."

"What does your mom not approve of you doing?"

"When I get good grades we say that they are a waste, I should be spending time learning to cook instead. She doesn't like me to dream about being a successful businesswoman, just being a housewife and mother. I'm not sure I want kids, but I know that I want to have fun and travel, and I can't do that if I don't have a good job, but mom says that a girl needs to let her husband take care of her."

"Why doesn't she approve of your aunt?"

"Because she is not the Burg. She is different and has a crazy job. She moved to California and lived by herself. She works in a building with a lot of different men. She is her boss, and that is not normal. Not to mention, she is expecting a baby and is not married, though my mom was the same way with Lisa, we don't talk about that. At least Aunt Stephy was engaged before she got pregnant."

"So your mom believes in family values, that's not so bad."

"It is when you don't want that life or are different. I love horses and would love to work with them and learn how to ride them, but I'm not allowed to because that is not a proper girl activity. I can dance or learn figure skating, but that is it. I can become a cheerleader. Those are appropriate activities for proper Burg girls."

"If you could choose to live with someone else, who would you want to live with?"

"My Aunt Steph because she never judges me and supports me and my crazy dreams. She knows what it feels like to want to fly."

"Thank you for talking to me, Mary Alice. You are going to be taken back to the room where you were waiting before. I'll let you know my decision in a little while."

"Thank you, Mr. Judge."

I watch my niece walk out of the courtroom, and I am filled with mixed emotions. I'm proud of her because she stood up for herself, but I'm angry that she's been treated so poorly for so long. I wish I had interceded sooner. I know that Carlos and I will be questioned, along with Val. I just hope we can withstand the questions. The judge calls me to the stand first.

"Ms. Plum, why do you want custody of your nieces?"

"I want custody of the girls, so they don't feel the way I did for thirty years. I always felt that there was something wrong with me, that I was a bad person because I didn't want to be my mother, the housewife, and mother of 2.5 children. I had a job that I liked, even though it was dangerous and not a normal job. I had help, and I've been getting better at it. Then, I met a man who accepted me for who I am. Who let me know that there was nothing wrong with me, that I was normal. He supported me and encouraged me. He helped me to see that not being a Burg woman was okay. That is what I would like to give to Mary Alice and Angie now before they go through years of self-doubt and have a crushed ego."

"Do you feel that you can be a good mother-figure to these girls, especially since you will be the mother of a newborn in a few months?"

"Yes. Julie and I have a great relationship. She knows she can talk to me about anything, and that I'll keep her confidence as long as it's not something that her father needs to know. If it is, I tell her that I'm going to tell her father. Sometimes, it's easier for her to tell me something instead of her father, so I'm the middleman. She is excited about the possibility of Angie and Mary Alice living with us."

"What about financially? Can you afford to raise them and give them what they need?"

"Yes. Carlos and I both own shares in Rangman Inc. We are part of the core team. We own the business with Lester Santos, Bobby Brown, and Pierre Dupree. We own a large estate in Deal, and each girl will have her room. We can afford private school tuition for all of the girls, along with college if they choose to go."

"How about food? Home cooked meals are important."

"I will never be a gourmet cook, but I am learning. Carlos is a good cook, and he, along with Julie, can make several good dishes. We have talked about hiring a housekeeper/cook for the house, being that I am working and it is a lot for one person to take care of. Either way, we will eat well."

"How does feel about becoming the guardian to your nieces?"

"He's all for it. We have the means to support a large family. He is one of six children himself. He's used to being around big families. Not to mention, he has four sisters, so he's used to being around girls. Security is his business, so he knows how to keep us all safe and will make sure that each of our children will be able to take care of themselves with self-defense training. Carlos, along with his siblings, was raised to be the best they could be at whatever they chose to come as long as they took care of responsibilities. One sister is a doctor, another is a lawyer, the third is an architect, and the fourth is a housewife. His brother is a successful accountant. Each child was able to live the life that they wanted to with the full support of their family. That is what I want to give to Angie and Mary Alice."

"Thank you, Ms. Plum. You may be seated."

I get off of the seat and start to walk back to the table. I look at Carlos, and I can see the pride that he has in his eyes for me. I stood up for myself and my nieces. I supported him and his family. Yeah, he's proud of me. I hear the judge call Carlos.

"Your name for the record, please."

"Major Ricardo Carlos Manoso, Retired, known professionally as Ranger."

"Major Manoso, how do you feel about becoming the guardian of two young ladies, ages 12 and 13?

"I'm looking forward to the possibility. I missed out a lot on my seeing my daughter, Julie, grow up due to my work with the Army, and I would love to have a chance to help these two young ladies grow up as self-assured and well-adjusted as Julie."

"There are some people say that you are not a safe person to be raising children."

"Those are the same individuals who believe that woman should be barefoot and pregnant taking care of her husband and his children. Those who know about my company know that we go after those individuals who jump bail, provide the highest level security to various businesses and prominent citizens in Trenton as well as in Miami, Boston, and Atlanta. Also, several members of my company are still under contract with the United States government and do get called occasionally to help. Ninety-five percent of my employees on the security end are veterans, many have special forces backgrounds, as members of the Rangers, the Seals, or the Marines. Due to our size and training, we can be intimidating, but each everyone one of my men have the utmost respect for women, children, and the law-abiding citizens of our country."

"There are some employees whose background is less than stellar."

"Yes, some of the men in my employ are former gang members, but I can assure you, that they have not had any contact with the gangs outside of obtaining information on skips or other security issues. If any of my men get arrested and convicted of any illegal activity, that is immediate termination. Everyone knows that when they sign the contract to work for my company. These men who were on their way down the road to prison have turned their lives around and are productive members of society."

"How do you think you'll be able to support these young women, aside from your monetary support?"

"I can provide them with unconditional love and support. In my family, we were taught to follow our dreams and do what would make us happy. My road to this point wasn't an easy one or a straight line. I was one step away from juvie when my parents shipped me off to Miami to live with my Abuela. It was there that I got set on the right track, and eventually decided to join the Army. Never once did my parents or siblings turn their backs on me or stop loving me. They continued to support me and pushed me to become a better man, and I can thank them for my success today. I would encourage Angie, Mary Alice, and Julie to figure out what they love to do and then to be the best they could be in that field. If they choose the housewife route, then I will support them the same as if they decided to become a doctor, lawyer, teacher, or if they decided to join the armed forces. As long as they are happy in their life, then I am happy for them. They will learn that men do participate in household chores and that women can do traditionally male jobs around the house if they so choose. There are no rules outside of the golden rule."

"Thank you, Major Manoso."

Carlos gets up and walks back to me. I surprised that he shared so much about himself in this public forum. I guess he's finally getting used to who he is as Carlos and is starting to shed more of his Ranger persona. "Mrs. Kloughn, your turn."

My sister shoots me a dirty look and then walks up to the seat with her head held high.

"Please state your name for the record."

"Valerie Plum Kloughn."

"How do you feel about your daughters wanted to live with your sister?"

"They are obviously being bribed by Ms. Plum. She promises them things that I can't give them. I know that she is just looking to get back at me because I have the life that she can't have."

"Has Ms. Plum ever expressed the desire to be like you?"

"Not verbally, but every Burg girl wants what I have. She just couldn't find a man to give it to her. She had Joe Morelli wrapped around her finger but couldn't close the deal, so he dumped her for better. So, she has no choice but to settle with that outside Manoso and his gang."

"Is Ms. Plum's life one that you disapprove of?"

"Yes, it's her life that I'm trying to prevent my girls from having. I want them to be like me. No like my crazy sister."

"So the fact that our daughters don't want what you have is not a concern of yours?"

"They are too young to know what they want. When they get older, they will see that this life is the proper life for them, and they will thank me for all that I did."

"Thank you, Mrs. Kloughn. I've made my decision." Once Valerie is seated, the judge shares his decision. "The minor children, Angelica Marie Plum and Mary Alice Plum will become the guardians of their aunt, Stephanie Michelle Plum, and her fiance, Major Ricardo Carlos Manoso effect February 2nd of this year. Mrs. Kloughn and her husband, Mr. Albert Kloughn will have visitation once a week under supervision at Rangeman for two hours. Mrs. Kloughn, please pack up all of their belongings have them ready to be picked up my Ms. Plum on January 31st. Mr. Kloughn, I hope you think about everything that was said here today and make sure that your daughter, Lisa, doesn't fall to this same fate. Ms. Plum and Major Manoso, thank you for interceding on behalf of your nieces, and I wish you luck with your ever-growing family. The court is adjourned."

Carlos and I embrace and kiss. We have a lot of planning to do right now to get the house ready for Angie and Mary Alice. I feel bad for Valerie, but she brought this upon herself. I hope for the sake of Lisa that Alert wakes up and takes care of her, but I doubt it. My sister looks like she's ready to attack me, so my guard surrounds me as we get ready to leave the courtroom. The doors open and my nieces run in and over to me. "Aunt Stephy, is it true that we will be living with you and Ranger soon?"

"Yes, Mary Alice, it's true. Starting on February 2nd, you will be living with us. Julie is so excited, along with Uncle Carlos."

"So are we, Auntie. We can't wait. Love you both." Both Mary Alice and Angie hug and kiss Carlos and me before going over to their mom.

"I hope they are okay with her for the next two weeks."

"Don't worry; they'll be monitored. Anything goes on that's not right, and I will know about it." Ranger replies.

"Thanks. I love you, Carlos."

"Love you too Babe, and I'm proud of you." We leave the courtroom to get ready for the next chapter of our crazy lives.

 **Valerie's POV**

I can't believe that the judge sided with Stephanie? Doesn't he know the value of being a Burg woman? I mean, who would take care of the men and make sure the houses were spotless? Everything would be a filthy mess if left to the likes of Stephanie. And a housekeeper? What self-respecting Burg woman hires a housekeeper? She is ridiculous and will be raising my girls with the wrong values. Maybe I just need to get out of town. That's it; I'll take a trip and bring the girls with me so that she can't take them from me. If we are not in Trenton, then she can't get the girls. I hope Albert will go along with me. Mom should've stopped after she had me. Then we would have been the perfect family, but no, she had to try for a boy, and we got stuck with Stephanie. I don't even know how she landed Morelli, let alone Ranger. The two best looking men in Trenton were fighting over her. I don't get it. She's not even that pretty, she can't cook, and she didn't want children. What did she have to offer them? I know that she's not great in bed, considering Dickie had to find help from Joyce. So what captivated them? Not only is Ranger gorgeous, but he's also loaded. Someone told me that her house in Deal is a mansion, with servant quarters and pool. Not to mention, the house is right on the beach. I'm stuck in a rundown Burg row house married to an incompetent attorney. I still can't believe that she is getting my girls. Fuck that bitch.

"Valerie, dear, we need to talk about our options," Albert tells me.

"What options? I lost custody of my daughters to my unwed, pregnant sister. How can there be options?"

"We can revisit the custody in a few months. I think that if you go to therapy and see a counselor, you may be able to understand how most people feel that girls should have the same options as a boy. If you start to allow the girls to dream while still instilling the Burg values, then you have a good chance of getting custody of your girls back. However, you need to change for the sake of Lisa. I won't have Lisa taken away from me."

"What are you trying to say, Albert, that you will leave me if I try to instill the same values to Lisa that I had for Angie and Mary Alice?"

"Yes, if that is what it takes."

"You have got to be fucking kidding me. You can't even drum up enough clients to keep us comfortable, and I have to worry about you leaving me and raising Lisa on your own? You are so incompetent that I'm surprised that you even got me pregnant in the first place. You couldn't even get the condom on correctly. Once again, you are siding with Stephanie against me. I'm your wife; you should be standing by my side. I'm sure Ranger always supports her."

"What goes on in Ranger and Stephanie's home has no bearing on our home, Valerie. She is right. What you are doing to Mary Alice and Angie is not healthy for them. Mary Alice is smart, but you don't want her to work harder. She can probably get a free ride to college if she keeps up her studies. And Angie is a wonderful teacher already. That is a great job for a mother to have. She's home with her children every day after school and has all of the holidays off. To kill her dreams to keep her locked inside a house is so 1950s. Didn't you ever want more, Val?"

"No, this is what I always wanted because this is what is proper. Why don't you, Stephanie, Ranger, and that judge understand? Now, I'll barely be able to show my face anywhere in the Burg. Everyone will be talking about me, how I am a horrible mother and how I lost custody of my children. This is embarrassing. I think we need to move away from Trenton. I don't think I can deal with the busybodies here."

"Valerie, we can't afford to move. The value of our house went down since we purchased it. We won't get approved for another mortgage. We are stuck here for the foreseeable future. You are just going to have to grow a thicker skin and experience what Stephanie must have endured for years thanks to your mother, and now you."

"Do you think that I could get custody of my girls back?"

"If you change your attitude and learn to accept them for who they are as individuals, then yes. If you don't, then you will never have custody of the girls again, and you will be lucky to have a relationship with them once they are of age." Albert responded and started to walk away. Before he left the room, though, he turned back to me. "Valerie, if you do the same things to Lisa, then you will be alone. I will give you the house and take Lisa far away from you. I will not let you abuse my daughter the way you abused your daughters, and I'm glad that Stephanie saw what was happening and stepped in."

Albert left the room and I headed for the cabinet where I keep the Jack hidden. I need a little tipple before I start working on dinner.

 **xxxxxxxxx**

 **Author's note: I know, I know, three chapters in two days! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I wanted Valerie to get hers and she did. I also like how Albert finally grew a set. Stephanie and Ranger's lives are going to change, and only for the better. I think that I will write on their wedding, the birth of their child, and maybe one more chapter with Dani and Morelli and that should be it for this story. I feel a sequel coming because there are more storylines to be had, but I won't start it until after I finish Change Seasons.**

 **Once again, THANK YOU FOR YOUR REVIEWS! PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING! They are the drug I need to keep my muse alive and working. :-)**

 **On another note, I would like to have a beta for my stories. I tried looking on the beta page, but it is overwhelming. So, if any of my readers out there are betas and would like to be mine, please PM me. All I ask is that you are familiar with the world of Stephanie Plum (including all 24 books in canon) and are willing to get my document back to me within 48 hours. If that is you, please contact me. Thank you again!**


	13. Changes

**The characters belong to Janet still, but the story is my creation. Warning for adult language.**

 **Chapter 13: Changes**

 **Stephanie's POV**

Last week I found out that I was getting custody of my nieces. While I am ecstatic, I am also scared shitless. I have no idea how to be a mother to pre-teens. I am barely managing to be a mother to Julie. What did I get myself into by getting custody of Angie and Mary Alice? Carlos keeps telling me not to worry, that I'll be fine and that I am a natural, but I don't have his confidence. We asked the girls how they wanted their rooms decorated and we are working on getting them ready for the move. They are truly happy to be leaving the Burg. We took them to visit their new school yesterday and they already love it. Apparently, Mary Alice can't wait to join the science and math clubs, and Angie wants to join the theater group. Every year, they perform a Shakespearean play. This year, the production is "A Mid-Summers Night Dream." Julie is also thrilled for them to be attending the same school with her.

Today, I'm meeting our new housekeeper/cook/babysitter extraordinaire, LilyAnn Connor. She is Cal's aunt. Lily and her husband previously owned a restaurant in New York. They never had children. Last year, her husband passed away, and since then, she sold the restaurant. She was looking for a job where she would be around people and would have her room and board covered. When Cal told us about his aunt, she sounded perfect to us. I ran a background check on her and everything checked out beautifully.

Now, before I went looking for Lily, I spoke to Ella. As much as I love Ella and she is a second mom to me, I couldn't ask her to leave Trenton to take care of Carlos and I. With the three kids and one on the way; I need a permanent house manager and not someone who would only come a few days a week. She was understanding and agreed that she and Luis could not leave their boys at Haywood. So, that is how we started our search for Lily.

Cal knocks on my office door and introduces me to the formidable woman standing next to him. She is about 5'5" and might weigh 140 pounds. She has blonde hair styled in a bob. She wears minimal makeup and is in dress pants and a button-down blouse. She has a warmth in her eyes that immediately puts me at ease.

"Bomber, uhm, Stephanie, this is my Aunt Lily. Aunt Lily, this is Ranger's fiance and one of my bosses, Stephanie Plum."

I extend my hand to Lily, she grasps it and gives me a firm but friendly handshake. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Connor."

"Same here, Ms. Plum."

"Please, call me Stephanie, or Steph. Being called Ms. Plum makes me feel old."

"And you can call me Lily. There is no need to be formal amongst friends." I immediately like this woman. Cal excuses himself and goes back to work on the monitors. I talk to Lily and ask her about her restaurant, what her favorite foods are, and how she is with children. All of her answers are perfect. I can tell that we are going to be great friends. I invite Ella in to discuss some of the expectations that I have based on Ella's work and what Ranger requests. Lily assured us that she is capable and completely up to the task. I call Ranger into the room for the final interview.

The door opens, and he enters. "Good morning, Mrs. Connor, it is a pleasure meeting you. Calvin has told me a lot about you this last week. I'm glad that we can finally meet."

"Mr. Manoso, the pleasure is all mine. Cal too has told me much about you over the years, and how you created this company to help lost soldiers like him find their way into the civilian world."

"You may call me Ranger while we are here, but Carlos at our home. Stephanie is very impressed with you, and I would like to offer you the position. You will be responsible for cleaning our home, preparing our meals and keeping up with the laundry and shopping. You will be given a company credit card to use for all your purchases, as well as petty cash. Once you finish preparing dinner, your work for the day is complete. Your day will typically start at about 5:30 in the morning. When necessary, we will also require you to mind the girls. You will have Saturday and Sunday off and will get four weeks paid vacation a year. If you are ill, we don't expect you to work. You will have full medical benefits, including dental and vision. Also, you will have your cottage on the estate. I will provide you with a vehicle for your use, personal or business, it doesn't matter to me. Your salary will be $156,000 per year, room and board is a non-issue. We will also provide you with a cell phone. You will have access to the pool and gym as well. Do you have any questions?"

"Only one, when do I start?" Lily asked eagerly.

"You can start on February 2nd. You can start to move in whenever you want. Cal and a team of Rangemen will be available to help you pack, move, and of course unpack. Just let me know when you need them." Carlos told her.

"This is perfect. I'm excited to begin this new chapter in my life. I always wanted children, but they weren't in the cards, but now God has blessed me with you and your family. I am looking forward to watching your daughters grow, and of course, your baby." Lily responded with tears in her eyes.

"Lily, I'm so glad that you will be around. I am hopeless in the kitchen. Maybe you can teach me to make a few easy dishes."

"Stephanie, it will be my pleasure."

I hug Lily and kiss her cheek. Carlos hugs her as well before calling Cal in to take his aunt home to begin packing. Cal hangs back and looks at Ranger and me before saying. "Thank you for hiring my aunt. She was so lonely and depressed. Being around your family will help her regain her purpose in life."

"Cal, your aunt is a wonderful woman and I am honored to have her join my family," I tell him before he leaves the office.

"Carlos, she's perfect for us. I know Julie, Angie, and Mary Alice will just love her."

"I'm sure they will. I'm glad that we can help Cal out. He was worried about her."

"So, is everything set for Saturday?"

"Babe, Ella has everything covered. The wedding will be great. You just need to make sure to show up."

"You know I wouldn't miss it for the world." I reach my arms around his neck and pull him down to me for a kiss. We start out sweet and gentle, but it quickly becomes more as fire races down below my waist. We pull apart because we both still have work to finish. Today is our last day in the office before our wedding day. Tomorrow, Thursday, I have a day of pampering with Mary Lou and Julie. On Friday, the movers will bring Angie and Mary Alice's belongings to our home, and Carlos and I will be finalizing wedding details. Carlos will spend the night at Lester's house, and Mary Lou, Ella, Julie, Dani, Abuela Rosa, Carlos's mom and sisters will be staying with me. Carlos's brother, brothers-in-law, father, and Tank will also be at Lester's house. Lily volunteered to start working Friday to help Ella prepare for the big day. She will also help Ella on Saturday and Sunday. Carlos and I already decided to pay her an extra $3000 for her three days. She won't know it until she gets her first check.

 **Valerie's POV**

I can't believe that I am down to three days left with my daughters. I still can't get over that a judge gave that bitch Stephanie custody of my babies. As ordered, I packed all their clothes, stuffed animals, and hair accessories. I'm not sending them with their computers or toiletries. Ms. High and Mighty can go and purchase them herself. Money doesn't grow on trees in this house. The one positive thing out of this whole mess is that Albert and I will have more money available to us, which means that I will be able to treat myself to some quality spa time. Massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, the works, all for me. And maybe we can go out to eat once in a while now that I don't need to worry about paying for all the extras for Angie and Mary Alice. I could sell their computers and other electronics on eBay and use that money on me. Having Stephanie take the brats is turning out to be a good thing, now that I had time to think about it.

Stephanie and Ranger will be responsible for all their costs now, clothing, food, computers, college, and doctors appointments. Let them spend their money. Maybe I can even convince Albert to move into a smaller house. We only need two bedrooms so that we can get rid of this house, and I can have less to clean. The girls have been obnoxious, going on about all the wonderful things Aunt Stephy and Uncle Carlos were getting for them, and how they will have a bathroom to share with Julie. Hmp. What kids need a kids' bathroom?

Now that the girls are out of the house, Albert and I may have a sex life again. That's funny. Stephanie's sex life is going to be nonexistent with three kids, no four kids, in her house. We'll see how great their marriage is when they can't find the time or place to get under the sheets. Stephanie will need to learn how to cook and clean. She won't be spending too much more time working at Rangeman after this. She'll be stuck as a stay at home mom and housewife, what she always claimed she would never need. She and Ranger have no idea how much a housekeeper would cost, and there is no way that they could afford that. I know that both Ranger and Stephanie drive Porsches, but that will be out of their price range soon as well. I can't wait to see them fall from the rich and powerful to the poor and want to be powerful. The only better situation would be if they were to take my ungrateful brats to Miami or someplace else. At least then, Lisa will be safe from Stephanie, and I can mold her into the proper Burg woman. I should ask Stephanie to give the girls her last name.

Mommy is probably rolling over in her grave right now. She knows that's how I was raising my girls was the right and proper way to raise children here in the Burg. She always knew that Stephanie was a fuck up, and the fact that she's marrying that Cuban proves it. At least I will no longer have to be embarrassed by Stephanie. Maybe Albert and I will move away from Trenton. Then I can truly escape the shadow of Stephanie Plum.

 **Albert's POV**

Something is going on with Valerie. She is a way to calm about this whole custody situation. She seems happy to be giving up her daughters. I don't trust her at all. I think she is going through some mental breakdown. Considering how unstable her mother always seemed, I'm not surprised. I am scared to leave the girls alone with her, even Lisa. I think I should listen to Stephanie and take Lisa away from here and away from Valerie. She doesn't know how to give love anymore. Something snapped in her when her mother died. It seems the Burg Queen Bee replaced the smart, loving, and compassionate woman I married. She isn't happy unless she's spreading some unfortunate rumor about someone or putting down her daughters. Maybe I need to see about having her committed. I know that she will never agree to be committed voluntarily, but that is the only way I could see her changing into the person who I first fell in love. Her changing behavior is a sign that I need to act now for the benefit of Valerie and the girls. I think I'll take her first thing Monday morning to have her committed. If I need to, I'll even ask Ranger for help. After all, come Saturday, he will be my brother in law.

 **Angie's POV**

Mommy is acting weird these last few days. It is almost as if she's happy that we are not going to be her daughters anymore. I'm very sad, but I know Aunt Stephy is trying to make sure that MA and I are comfortable. She has asked us how we wanted to decorate our rooms as well as what colors we wanted. She and Uncle Carlos brought us to visit our new school, and I'm excited to be going there. The school has many extracurricular activities, and Julie says it's a great place. MA is pretty excited as well. I am confused, though. Mom isn't packing our computers or game system. She is only sending us to Aunt Stephy with our clothes, shoes, and few other items that we can't leave behind. I think it's mean that she's going to make Aunt Stephy and Uncle Carlos buy us stuff that we already have, but I'm not about to argue with Mom right now. She also seems to be drinking iced tea a lot more like Grandma used to do. I hope Lisa will be okay here. Suddenly, my bedroom door flies open.

"Angie, can you believe that on Sunday we're moving in with Aunt Stephy? I can't believe the day is almost here!" Mary Alice exclaims.

"I know, MA, I'm excited too. Do you think Mom is acting strange?"

"Yeah, she is, and she's tippling again. She is exactly like Grandma Plum. I wish Great-Grandma Mazur were still around. She would put Mom in her place. She was always the one I could relate to, aside from Aunt Stephy."

"You're right, MA, she was just as crazy as you and Aunt Stephy. I wish I had crazier in me."

Mary Alice sighs before continuing. "Angie, you _do_ have crazy in you, but you are too busy trying to be the perfect daughter to let it shine through. Maybe once we're with Aunt Stephy and Uncle Carlos, you will be able to stop trying to be perfect and have some fun."

"I hear you, MA, but Mom always praised me for being the perfect little lady. I wanted to please her so much. But I never felt like I was good enough or perfect enough. If I allow myself to be crazy, I won't be a proper Burg lady."

"Angie, Aunt Stephy is not anything like Mom but she is happy. She is marrying Uncle Carlos, and he has a lot of money. Aunt Stephy won't be staying home cooking and cleaning all day; she'll be working and have a career, which we can do someday as well. Aunt Stephy will help you to become a teacher if that is what you still want to be when you get older, and we will support you if you choose to work after you have kids. She is proving that what Mom and Grandma wanted is NOT the only option for us."

"MA, when did you become so smart and wise?" I ask my younger sister, who used to spend her time being a horse.

"I've always been smart, but I hid behind my horse persona. Great Grandma Mazur used to tell me that it drove Mom and Grandma crazy when I would gallop around and that if I continued to act strange and weird, eventually they would give up on trying to get me to fit into the Burg mold and I'd be able to be free like Aunt Stephy."

"Now we will both be free, MA," I tell her. "We better finish packing what we want because I have a feeling Mom is going to dispose of anything that we leave behind. I guess we need to return our school textbooks tomorrow, being that it's our last day there."

"I think you're right. I have to find where I hid my history textbook. Later gator."

As much as I don't want to leave my mom behind, I am excited for the chance to finally be myself, and I now Aunt Stephy will give me that opportunity.

 **Julie's POV**

 _Thursday, January 30_ _th_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I can't believe how much my life is going to change AGAIN! In three days I'm going to have two new sisters, in sixth grade and eighth grade. We will all be going to the same school and will be sharing a suite of rooms in my house. I'm excited, but at the same time, I'm mad. I was happy to have my dad to myself finally, and mom too. Stephanie-mom has made it a point to hang out with me every Friday for "girl-time" and I know I can tell her anything, but I'm afraid that our relationship is going to change with her nieces, Mary Alice and Angie coming to live here as well. I know things will be easier here than with Mom-Rachel and Ron because we will have Lily to take care of the house so that Mom Stephanie won't be so stressed out, but I don't want our relationship to change._

 _I already feel like Stephanie is more important than I am to dad, and it shouldn't be that way. I know that we didn't have a strong relationship until Scrog kidnaped me, but since then, he's my everything. I know when the new baby comes, I won't be as important anymore. I want to talk to Dad about this, but I don't know how he'll take it. Maybe I'll talk to Dani and Uncle Lester, and they can give me advice._

 _I can't wait for the baby to come. I want to help Mom Stephanie with the baby as much as possible. In a year and a half, I'll be in college, and if I have my wish, I'll be attending Cornell University where I will be a pre-veterinary student. Therefore, I need to spend as much time as possible with my little sib. I know that material things and money for college are not a problem for Dad, and we will all have what we want and need, but what I need most is his love and Mom Stephanie's love. I guess I'll take one day at a time and see how things go._

 _L8r, Julie_

 _Friday, January 31_ _st_

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I had the opportunity to talk to Dani today, and she made me feel much better. Apparently, her mom and stepdad got married when she was in ninth grade, and she gained three new step-siblings. She told me to talk to Dad and Mom about how I feel, and ask them if we can have one-on-one time regularly. She said that as time goes on, I may not need that time as much as I do now, but the fact that we can still have it will only strengthen our relationship. Dani also said that Mom Stephanie was scared of how we were all going to get along. She was always hesitant to be a mom, and now she is the mom of three with one on the way. I need to give Mom Stephanie time to adjust as well._

 _As far as Dad is concerned, Dani told me to talk to Uncle Lester. I did, and even though Uncle Lester can be a jerk sometimes, he was very understanding. He told me that Dad loves me very much but has difficulty showing his love to anyone other than "Beautiful" (Mom Stephanie). Somehow, she got through his years of Army training to show no emotion. Dad is the type of person who shows his love with actions more than words, but if I ask for words, he will try to provide them. Uncle Lester thinks that Dad will be more aware of me now because Angie and Mary Alice are moving in with us and this will probably make us closer. I hope Uncle Lester is right. He did tell me, though, that if Dad or Mom Stephanie didn't treat me right I can go and live with him and he'd take my Dad to the mats. Why do my dad and uncles always resort to the mats instead of talking?_

 _L8r, Julie_

 **Ranger's POV**

This weekend is going to change my life forever. First, tomorrow, I will be marrying my Babe, my life. I can't imagine living without her. I never thought I would need a woman in my life, but I need Stephanie as much as I need oxygen. Secondly, I'm getting two more daughters, my nieces, Angie and Mary Alice. I'm concerned with how Julie will react. I don't want to repeat the same mistakes that Rachel and Ron made, but I don't know how to let Julie know that she is still very important in my life. I feel funny to have one-on-one time with her as Babe does. Maybe I should just ask Julie what she wants. I mean, we could go to the movies or out to eat or to the gym together. And how do I let Angie and Mary Alice know that they can come to me for anything? Albert is such a sad excuse for a man that I'm afraid I'll intimidate them. I don't want to be too scary or strict with them, but they don't understand the danger that they will be in being my 'daughters.' I want to train them like Julie. Maybe that's something the three of us could do together to bond. I need to talk to Stephanie about this.

I'm on my way to Pennsylvania, to Lester's house. I am spending the night there with Lester, Tank, Bobby, Hector, my father, my brother and my brothers-in-law with all my nephews. Ella provided dinner and dessert for us, along with breakfast for tomorrow. I'm not very traditional, but my family and Stephanie insisted that we spend the night apart. I arrive at Lester's house as Dani is getting ready to go to my home.

"Hi, Ranger. Ready for your last night as a bachelor?"

"Yes, I'm ready for this night to be over already. I would prefer to spend the night at my own house tonight."

"I know that the house is big, but not big enough to keep you and Stephanie apart tonight and tomorrow morning. You just need to behave for about 18 hours then you will have Stephanie forever."

"I know you're right, but I'm still impatient."

"Ranger, on another issue, what do you know about Detective Joe Morelli?"

My blood starts to boil, and I am curious as to why his name is being mentioned tonight, and by Dani of all people. "I know a lot, that he's a womanizer, he left the Navy after being dishonorably discharged, that he takes sexual favors from hookers in return for not busting them and that he is a world class asshole. Why?"

"Joe has a child. She's 17 now, and he paid child support for her up until eight years ago. Then, he suddenly stopped. The child's mother has tried to get her back pay from him, but he claims that he doesn't owe her anything anymore and that because he's not working, he doesn't have income. She thinks he lost his job after the Carmen incident. I would like to help her get her money from him, but I don't know how Stephanie will take my interfering. I know they are quasi-friends and have a long and complicated history, but I hate anyone who doesn't take their responsibility seriously."

"I didn't know that, Dani. I have no problems with you going after Morelli, but you have another reason. Tell me the real reason why you want to get involved."

"When I was a nurse in the service, I met a young soldier who was seriously wounded. He had a girl back home, Lisa. She was his lifeline; you know how it is for some soldiers. Anyway, Lisa broke up with him while he was recovering because she was pregnant. The soldier thought the baby was his and he was excited at the prospect of becoming a dad. She informed him that he wasn't the father and that she didn't want him to raise someone else's child, especially when the child belonged to his cousin. He was devasted and decided to take his own life. His name was John Anthony Morelli, and his cousin is Joe."

I couldn't believe what I heard. I always knew that Joe was an asshole and a jerk, but I never thought that he'd be that irresponsible. To go behind a fellow soldier's back and steal his girl is worse than treason amongst our brothers in arms. But for the soldier to be your blood, that was even worse. I'm glad Stephanie dodged that bullet. It pissed me off even more because, at the same time, I was marrying Rachel out of responsibility for my careless night so that my child would have a father and he was abandoning his child. Even though Rachel remarried, I still always supported Julie, a lot more generously than I had to legally. To think that Joe is two years older than me and should have been more mature. "I'll help you out, and I'll talk to Stephanie. Just give me a week. Things will be a little crazy for the next few days."

"No problem, Ranger, thank you. I'll let you join the guys for your night of debauchery." With that, Dani got into her car and left for Deal. What did my cousin have planned? I have a feeling that he will be meeting me on the mats a lot in the next few weeks.

 **Joe's POV**

I should have fucking left the Burg when I had the chance. Instead, I chose to come back here to appease my mother, because she didn't want her favorite son so far away from her. I had the opportunity to become NYPD, was accepted to their academy out of the Navy, but mom and Grandma Bella asked me to come home, and I couldn't say no to them. That is a decision that I will regret for the rest of my life. Even though I'm a decorated detective and I am respected, my former public relationship, my very personal relationship with Terry Gilman, and then my train-wreck of a relationship with the Bombshell Bounty Hunter, Stephanie Plum, has ruined my chance ever to rise higher than a detective. I was seen losing my temper too many times when Cupcake had blown up a car or burnt down a funeral home, that the brass doesn't feel like I have the correct temperament for bars. I thought that by settling down and marrying Lauren would help to redeem my reputation, but even our kids aren't enough. I don't even love Lauren; she was just convenient after Cupcake chose that mercenary Ranger. Oh, how I hoped that when she thought he was dead and moved to California that we could have resumed our love affair, but she wouldn't consider it because I was married. I tried several nights to get back into her bed, especially after I got her drunk, but she was not cooperative. She told me that "Ranger kept his promise to her and ruined her for all other men" and that "once she had Ranger's heart, soul, and body, no one would be able to fulfill her as he did, emotionally or physically." It was sickening. I had her first, and she could hardly recall any good times we had. I remember my last night in California with her vividly.

 _We are sitting on her couch in her new apartment. We are talking about friends and acquaintances from the Burg who we knew in high school. We are sharing our favorite memories of growing up. Stephanie asks, "What was your favorite night ever."_

 _I have to think about that. There were a lot of good nights, but then I think back to one that caught me so off guard and sticks out as the greatest night of making love ever. "I recall a night when a certain blue-eyed, curly-haired woman called me and asked me to come over. When I arrived at her door, it opened to reveal her standing there is a minuscule black dress with wonderful shoes that made her look oh so sexy and edible. I remember walking to her and kissing her, taking that dress off, and making love to her a couple of times that night. The moment I laid my eyes on her, I immediately got hard. Wow, just thinking about that night is making it a little uncomfortable. That was the night when I realized I was in love with that woman. That was the night when I realized that I wanted to be with only you, Cupcake."_

 _She looked a little uncomfortable when I had finished the story, but then I turned the question around to her. She sat and thought for a few moments and then responded, "I was sitting in my apartment watching some movie when an unexpected guest arrived. He had information to share with me on the case I was working on, and when he gave me that information, he asked if I was ready to pay up. He backed me against the wall and kissed me senseless. I almost melted to the floor, and probably would have if his body wasn't against mine. I remember trying to deter him by referring back to the movie that I no longer recognized or could even tell you the name of before he carried me into my bedroom. We made fast, hard love, and I figured the night was over, but then, we went two more amazing rounds before I finally fell asleep in his arms. That was the night when I knew that no other man would ever satisfy me again, that was the night when I realized that I loved Ranger. I didn't realize that I was IN LOVE with him until Scrog shot him, but that was the night when I knew, deep down, that I wanted more than a friendship with him." She paused to wipe away her tears and blow her nose. She stood up and went to the picture sitting in the middle of the shelf above the television, next to two candles, the picture of Stephanie and Ranger with their arms around each other and staring into each other's eyes like the two of them were the only ones in the world. She kissed two fingers and put them on his face in the picture. She whispered, "Te quiero siempre, mi amor." She then turned and looked at me. "Joe, I'm sorry for not being honest with you years ago. I thought that Carlos would never commit to me, or anyone for that matter. But I loved him and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. I didn't care about marriage, though I would have liked that eventually, I would have been happy with a promise to be truthful and faithful to me. He kept pushing me away, pushing me to you because he thought my life would be in too much danger if we became a couple, but as we know, between Scrog, Orin, and Vlatko, I was already being targeted because of our perceived relationship. When we both finally realized that we needed each other, there was no turning back. I am glad you found Lauren because Lauren is perfect for you and gave you the life you've always wanted."_

 _I had to hide my hurt and my bruised ego. Stephanie's best memory was her first time with Ranger. I finally realized that she must have thought about him when we made love after that because she never seemed to be that into it, especially when she was working for him or closely with him. I decided to get up and take the ice cream out of the freezer. I feel we need to change the conversation and what better way to do that than to eat ice cream._

Now, the great Manoso had to go and hire that nurse, Dani. She has to be the only person who knows about Lisa and her daughter Josephine. Now, there's a good chance that she's going to let that cat of the bag. I have to decide when to tell Lauren about Lisa and the daughter that I have nothing to do with at all. I know that she won't be impressed. Our marriage is hanging on by a thread. She didn't want to have this child, but we are. She asked me to get a vasectomy, but I refused to, and now she's going to have her tubes tied. I would love more children, but she never wanted more than two, especially since she had a daughter and a son. Now, she will have a third child. She found out that I was still seeing Terry, and she threatened to divorce me if I ever were to cheat on her again. She wants a bigger house, and in Hamilton, not the Burg. I have to sell my house, much to my mother's and grandmother's dismay and buy a house we can't afford. Now, if Dani contacts Lisa, I'll owe almost ten years of back child support plus whatever I'll be ordered to pay now. I'm sure that I will have to pay for college, too. My life is so fucked and complicated, and it all goes back to Manoso. First, he trained Stephanie on how to be a bounty hunter, and because of his help, she caught me. Second, he stole her away from me. I was glad when he died because I knew that neither one of us would have Stephanie and that she would probably never marry. Third, because he left her more money than I'll ever have and gave her a part of his company. She never had to work again in her life or worry about money. Fourth, because she was a partner in Rangeman, Lester went out to visit her and update her on the business, and somewhere along the way, they started dating and got engaged. Once again, I lost Cupcake to a man in black. Finally, he had to come back from the dead. Now, she is once again engaged to Manoso, is planning on saying "I do" to him tomorrow, and is carrying _his_ child. Not to mention, Lauren and I are invited and will be attending the wedding. His life is supposed to be my life. Instead, I have Lauren who is too much like my mother. I am trapped. I'm expected home for dinner, if I'm going to be late, I need to call, and she won't watch any games with me. She hogs the remote and makes me watch "The Bachelor" and all of the "Desperate Housewives" shows. I swear, my balls are going to fall off soon. I'm shocked I could still get my pride and joy to stand at attention. Maybe now would be a good time to disappear.

 **Lily's POV**

I'm at my new home helping Ella prepare for the wedding of my new employers, Carlos and Stephanie. I can already see that they are very much in love with each other. They remind me a lot of me and my husband. I knew from the first day that I met him that he was my everything, and I see that in their eyes when they look at each other. Ella is a kind, caring, and wonderful woman. I am so glad I finally got to meet her because Cal talks about her nonstop. She takes good care of Cal and the rest of the Rangemen.

I know that on Sunday, Stephanie is becoming the guardian of her nieces Angie and Mary Alice. Julie seems to be okay with the new family arrangement, but I know to expect growing pains. I need to learn as soon as possible what each of the girl's favorite meal and desserts are so that I can use food to help them feel welcomed and that they all belong here. I can tell that Stephanie is worried, and I will do everything in my power to help make the transition seamless for all involved.

"Lily, my dear, we need to get the sternos set up for tomorrow along with the dishes and silverware."

"Ella, I set up the sternos about an hour ago. We need to get the beverages into the coolers with the ice."

"Yes, you are correct. I forgot we did that already. I don't know what I would have done without your help. Stephanie and Carlos are very lucky to have found you, and Cal is lucky to be able to call you his aunt."

"Thank you; you're too kind. I only hope that I do as good of a job taking care of Stephanie and Carlos as you have done. I am starting to fell a little overwhelmed, but knowing that you are a phone call away is helping to ease my anxiety."

"Stephanie is an independent spirit and still hasn't gotten used to everything that I do for her. She will insist on taking care of certain tasks on her own, and for your benefit and hers, go along with whatever she wants. She won't do things that she knows she can't handle, but she will get embarrassed with you cleaning her sheets because you will know that she and Carlos made love the night before. I would like to warn you; they are inseparable. I don't know how they have the energy to do everything that they need to do."

"I can understand where she is coming from; being raised in a middle-class neighborhood where the woman of the house did everything for her family. Once her daughters were of age, it was time for them to turn into their mothers. Even if they weren't married, they valued the concept of a clean house and doing all the household chores themselves. Since she hasn't earned her wealth on her own and instead is marrying into wealth, she is uncomfortable with its perks."

"Lily, I couldn't have said it better myself. I can see that you already understand Stephanie. You are going to fit in great here with them."

"I hope so; I like them," I replied. We hear the doorbell ring. Ella leaves to answer it and returns to the kitchen about two minutes later. "Dani arrived. All the ladies are finally here so Stephanie's night can officially begin. Time to bring the food and drinks to the pool patio so they can start to relax."

"I'm right behind you, Ella."

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Author's Note: First and foremost, I hope you enjoyed my well-written an EDITED chapter, thanks to my new Beta, Whitmom. She has helped me to find several mistakes that I would not have picked up on had she not read the chapter. So, I can thank my better writing to her. An additional shout out to MomofPhoenix who also volunteered to be my beta. I am humbled that two individuals wanted to help me make my stories better. In addition, I'd like to thank a few readers out there who have been making wonderful comments on this story and my other stories consistently, which helps to keep me motivated to actually FINISH the stories. They are Buddy's Babe, Angela Mueller, Bonnie, and Vulcan Rider. Thank you for your kind words and wonderful comments on my storylines. I have also received great reviews from other readers as well. Please keep the reviews coming. I love to hear when you like where I am taking my story, but I'm also open to constructive criticism if you feel that something doesn't make sense.**

 **Please continue with your reviews. They are my payment. Until the next update, keep dreaming about Babe HEAs.**


	14. Bliss

**The characters still belong to JE, but I'm still playing with them. Warning for language, wedding night smut at the end (duh!). If you don't like smut, you can stop reading when it starts. You won't miss any of the plot.**

Chapter 14: Bliss

 **Stephanie's POV**

I can't believe that February 1st is finally here! Today Carlos and I are getting our someday; we are finally becoming a unit, husband and wife. And to think, a year ago I thought he was dead, and I would never see him again. I'm so excited and relieved that he is alive and well because I would never have been this happy with Lester. Don't get me wrong, I did and do love Lester, but not the way that I love Carlos. Carlos is the air I breathe, the food I need, and my shelter from everything bad that life throws my way. Since the day I met him, in that diner, I have known that Carlos was some special. I just didn't know how special he was until I thought I lost him to Scrog.

I missed sleeping in Carlos's arms last night, and though I had a great time with his sisters, Julie, Mary Lou, Connie, Dani, his mother, and abuela, it still wasn't the same. I spoke to Albert, and he said that he would come with Angie and Mary Alice so they could see us get married, but he couldn't stay the whole time because he needed to take them behind Valerie's back. She thinks that they are going to see Albert's mother, who has been as much of a grandmother to the girls as their biological grandmother. I'm glad that my new daughters will be able to spend a small part of today with Carlos and me.

My wedding dress is perfect, and I decided to wear my hair in a french twist, at least until Celia, Carlos's sister told me that I wasn't allowed to wear my hair up. Carlos had asked his sisters to make sure that I wear my hair down, with my curls showcased. He told them that my crazy curls were his favorite part of my body, followed by my blue eyes and my temporary baby bump. My new mother-in-law, Marisa, gave me the diamond earrings she wore at her wedding as my something borrowed; my something old was the simple diamond necklace that abuela got from her grandmother in Cuba; for my something new I had a diamond and sapphire tennis bracelet that Carlos gave to me yesterday; and my something blue was the blue garter belt I was wearing.

"Stephanie, how do you like your hair?" Mariela, Carlos's youngest sister, asked me. She was the one who styled it for me. My hair was down with perfect curls but strategically pinned up in sections to showcase my earrings.

"It looks wonderful. I'm jealous; I can never get my hair to cooperate like this on my own."

"I took beauty culture in high school, but decided I didn't like to stand on my feet all day long," Mariela responded.

"She does have a special touch when it comes to hair and make-up." Lydia, Ranger's second youngest sister, responded.

"But she has no idea on how to decorate. If left to her resources, she would have only a bed, a table and chair in her apartment." Jessenia added. She is Carlos's second oldest sister.

"My apartment wasn't decorated, either. I just had a collection of furniture rejects from relatives and friends, and considering how many times someone set my apartment on fire, it was good that I never spent a lot of money on decorating. I even lost a good couch to 'death cooties.'" I added while laughing.

Sara replied, "I heard about some of your mishaps. You made Julio question Carlos's sanity a few times." Sara is married to Carlos's brother. As the two sisters-in-law, we have to stick together to keep the Manosos on their feet.

"I'm grateful that all of you are here to support me. I have never had this much support from my family, so I am overwhelmed by how you all have accepted me into your family so easily. You all treated me with love and respect since the day I met you. Even when we thought Carlos was gone, you still treated me as one of the family. I am forever grateful to you all."

"Stephanie, you gave your heart to my son, and he gave his heart to you. That makes you a part of the family, even though you didn't have the legal document. We value individuals who are kind-hearted, loving, caring, and loyal, which you have always been to Carlos. Since you helped Carlos and Julie, you were an honorary member of our family. You saved our granddaughter, which we are forever grateful to you." Marisa stated.

Suddenly there is a knock on the door. Marisa goes to answer the door. "Tia Marisa, is Steph ready? The ceremony is about to start." Lester states.

"Yes, Lester, Stephanie is ready. You may come in now."

Originally, Julie was going to be a bridesmaid, but when we decided to get custody of Angie and Mary Alice, we took Julie out of the wedding party because I didn't want to hurt my new daughters. Instead, we decided to add the lighting of a Unity candle to our ceremony. Lester was supposed to be Carlos's best man, but I decided to have Lester walk me down the aisle then give me away, in place of my father. I felt that it was very appropriate since Lester gave me to Carlos after he returned from the dead. When I first brought up my idea to Carlos, he balked at it, but then decided that it was a good way to honor how important Lester was to me during his "death." Lester felt honored that I asked him to be a part of our special day and to hold such an important role. Tank was Carlos's best man, while Mary Lou was once again standing for me as Matron of Honor. We decided to have no one else in our bridal party because we wanted it to be simple. Tank and Mary Lou will sign our wedding certificate as our witnesses. Carlos's family and my friends left my room, except Mary Lou and Lester. Mary Lou gave my dress one last smoothing and tuck in a stray curl before leaving Lester and me alone.

"Beautiful, I just want to tell you now that I am happy for you. I'm glad to see that smile on your face that was missing when my cousin was gone. As much as I loved you, you never wore a smile like that for me. Carlos is your true soulmate and I hope that you both have a long life together and that your family will be just like the Manoso and Santos family, filled with love, respect, and happiness. You look gorgeous and Carlos is a lucky man to have you for his wife."

"Thank you Lester, and I hope that you experience what Carlos and I have someday. I am also hoping that Dani will be that woman for you."

"She is, Beautiful. I can't imagine my life, Dani. That is one of the few good things that came out of this whole mess with Dalton and Lula."

"You're right. Lester, learn from Carlos and me, don't wait too long before claiming the woman who completes you. Life is too short to have any regrets."

"You're right, Beautiful."

"I love you, Honey, and I'm glad that you are walking me down the aisle to Carlos today."

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Lester kisses my cheek and walks towards the patio doors.

 **Ranger's POV**

I can see that all the guests have arrived. I and my entourage arrived here about thirty minutes ago. We were relegated to Lily's cottage to get ready, not being allowed in the main house so I couldn't catch a glimpse of my Babe. Last night I hardly slept. I am so used to having my Babe in my arms at night that I am unable to sleep soundly without her. At least I know that I will have her in my arms at night forever, starting tonight. Lester is giving Steph away to me, which is perfect for us and Tank is my best man. My brother was not disappointed; he knows that Tank is as much of a brother to me as Julio is my biological brother. I saw many of the guests arrive, who were most my Rangemen, some with dates, but most solo. I saw Stephanie's only attendees, Mary Lou and her husband Lenny, Joe and Lauren, and Connie arrive. Albert got to the house with Angie and Mary Alice about ten minutes before the ceremony. I'm glad our new daughters can be here with us, it will help to symbolize our new family.

Lester leaves the cottage to get Stephanie since he is walking her down the aisle. I am glad that he is supportive of our marriage and that he found Dani because they are perfect for each other just like my Babe and I are. We have a large white heated tent set up in the backyard which is where we are getting married. I can't wait to see my Babe. I walk to where the Justice of the Peace is standing to wait for my Babe's entrance. I see all the woman come out of the house and into the tent, taking their seats. Finally, the music starts and Mary Lou walks down the aisle ahead of Stephanie. Pacabel's Canon in D is playing. Once Mary Lou makes it to the front, the wedding march starts, and my Babe enters the tent. I catch my glimpse of her, and I am taken back by her beauty. Her blue dress accentuates her eyes, and Mariela did a great job of getting her curls to sit perfectly. I feel my pants getting a little snug and have to get myself under control. Getting married with a boner is not appropriate. I can't take my eyes off of her; she is radiant today.

Lester and Stephanie arrive, and Lester gives Stephanie's hand to me. The Justice of the Peace begins, "Family, friends, and honored guests, today we are gathered here to witness the union of Ricardo Carlos Manoso and Stephanie Michelle Plum. The love that these two individuals have for each other has survived more than anyone could have imagined, including the death of the groom. They have requested a simple service that will unite them as one. So, without further ado, is there anyone here who feels that these two should not be getting married here today." The JP waited a few moments. When no one responded, he continued. "Marriage is a promise that is supposed to last a lifetime, where two individuals vow to remain as one, regardless of what life has to offer. Stephanie and Carlos have chosen to write their vows for today's ceremony. Carlos."

"Stephanie, Babe, I have loved you since the moment that I first laid eyes on you. You have a lightness around you that can lift the spirits of everyone you meet. I spent too many years pushing you away from me, and when I finally decided that it was time to make you mine, I was declared dead, and you had to grieve for me. I promise that, from this day forward, I will never do anything to hurt you, dishonor you, or disrespect you. I promise to love you with all of my heart and soul and to give you anything your heart desires. I promise to hold you in my arms every night until the day that I take my last breath. Tu eres mi amor, mi vida, y mi corazon. Te quiero siempre, querida."

"Stephanie, you turn."

"Ranger, Carlos, I also fell in love with you that first day. Even though you intimidated me as 'Street Ranger,' you agreed to help a clueless Burg girl become a bounty hunter. You became my Mr. Higgins. When I met 'Business Ranger,' I was shocked to see the savvy corporate executive. However, when you decided to introduce me to Carlos, by letting me in your life and heart little by little, I met the man who always supported me, who was always proud of me, you loved me for who I was, and not who he wanted me to become. Those three years that you were gone were the worst years of my life, and because of that experience, I promise to love and cherish you, support and protect you, and make sure to always provide you with the light you need to shine. Carlos, you are truly my better half, and I promise to love you and be with you until I am no longer on this earth. Te queiro siempre, Batman."

I am so surprised that my Babe isn't crying. I expected her to be crying by this point, especially with her pregnancy hormones, but she is composed and still glowing.

"Carlos, the ring." I turn to Tank who hands me Stephanie's wedding band.

"Carlos, repeat after me. "With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, Babe, I thee wed." I slip the ring onto her left hand. She has her engagement ring on her right hand for the service.

"Stephanie, the ring." The JP states. Stephanie retrieves my ring from Tank as well. "Repeat after me, With this ring, I thee wed."

"With this ring, Carlos, I thee wed." Stephanie slips my ring on my finger.

"Stephanie and Carlos will be adding to their family tomorrow. As a sign of their love and support of all their children, I would like to invite Carlos's daughter, Julie, along with Stephanie's nieces, Angelica and Mary Alice, up here to light a Unity candle with the bride and groom. This Unity candle will be a symbol of the blending of five individuals into one cohesive family unit." The JP lights each of our candles. Stephanie's candle has two wicks, symbolizing the child she is carrying. We use our lit candles to light the larger candle simultaneously. We have symbolically joined as a family.

Once the girls return to their seats and Stephanie, and I return to our place in front of the JP, he continues, "By the power vested in me by the State of New Jersey, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." I gather Stephanie in my arms and give her one of my signature, mind-numbing kisses. Once we break away, the JP states, "I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Ricardo Carlos Manoso."

Our family and friends stand up and applaud us. Stephanie and I walk down the aisle followed by Mary Lou and Tank. Our guests surround us to congratulate us on finally getting married.

 **Joe's POV**

I can't believe that I am stuck here watching my Cupcake marry Manoso. Witnessing this marriage is a fucking nightmare. I was ready to decline, but my mom, of all people, told me it would be inappropriate to decline Stephanie's invitation. So, I had to follow the "proper Burg protocol" and attend the wedding. It kills me to hear that they both fell in love with each other at first sight. That means that throughout my entire relationship with Stephanie, she was in love with Manoso. God, I was so fucking stupid. I can see Lauren smirking at me. Last night I told her about Lisa and my daughter Josephine. I told her that Lisa was mistaken, but no paternity test would work because John and I were too closely related (first cousins). She wasn't thrilled about it, but she forgave me because I was young and stupid. I told her I wasn't a hundred percent sure that Josephine was even my child.

My only fear now is that the bitch Dani will uncover something that conclusively proves that Josephine is my daughter. If that happens, I know I will be heading to divorce court, which is something that I would welcome at this point.

I keep looking at the bride. Cupcake looks beautiful. I just want to hold her in my arms and take her to my bedroom, while slowing undressing her. Even though she is pregnant, she is still the most beautiful woman I know. Pregnancy suits Stephanie, making her even prettier. Lauren looks worse being pregnant then she did before she was pregnant. She has gained over fifty pounds so far and she still has another month to go. If you saw Cupcake from the back or straight on in the front, you would never know she was pregnant. Lauren, on the other hand, looks like she should have given birth already. I can't believe how unattractive my wife is right now. At least she knows how to cook and clean. Her only saving grace is that she gives a good BJ, better than Stephanie, allows me to take her from behind and in her ass as well. Stephanie was too inhibited with me in the bedroom, which is her only fault, that and her marriage to Manoso.

Maybe I can get Lauren to leave in about an hour, to relieve my mother from watching our children for the rest of the night. It seems as if Lauren read my mind because she says, "We are not leaving until after dessert. Suck it up and let it sink into that thick head of yours that Stephanie will never be in your bed again and that you are no longer a part of her future."

Fuck my life; this night is the worst night of my life.

 **Lauren's POV**

I know that my Joe is still in love with Stephanie. As much as I want to blame her or hate her, I can't. She has made no advances towards Joe and has given him no indication that she wants to be anything but a friend to him, but he is still in fantasy land. When we first started to go out as couples, Stephanie would wear sexy dresses, tight bodices, short skirts, and FMPs, and I knew that it was for the benefit of Ranger because he couldn't keep his eyes off of her, or his hands for that matter. But, I think either she or Ranger realized how Joe would keep looking her over and stare at her. Then, after we all thought Ranger was dead, she left for California. I was hoping that one of Ranger's men would go out there with her to help her settle in, but they brought her too much pain because they reminded her too much of her Carlos, which was why she was escaping. Joe volunteered to go with her, and she accepted his request, as a friend, helping her out. I know that she didn't sleep with Joe, and I know that she didn't allow his attempted advances to come to fruition. She is too honorable, and would never be the "other woman" in an affair. When Joe's trip went from being a week or two to a month, I started to get nervous. But, he returned, sexually frustrated, to me.

I knew that he was abstinent during that time because that first night that we were together, he was rough and quick. Anytime that he went more than a week without having sex he would be aggressive in bed. The first time after he returned was very much like our first time. With Stephanie gone, our marriage was stronger, and he was more attentive to me. They would speak once or twice a week, which I was fine with because he was making sure she was okay. I even spoke to her some nights. Then, in August, Joe suddenly decided he wanted to visit her because she sounded depressed. I had to put my foot down and tell him that it was not his place. He needed to leave well enough alone. When he told me it was because Ranger's birthday was approaching, I hit the ceiling. In my mind, it was clear that he wanted to try to get in her pants again at a time when she was most vulnerable. I made him call Rangeman and speak to that guy in charge, Tank. Tank agreed to have one of the core team, Ranger's best friends, go out to surprise her and make sure she was okay. They all loved her and wanted to make sure she was happy, and this was as good an excuse as any for one of them to lay eyes on their sister. Lester went, and the rest was history.

After the Plum family tragedy, Stephanie returned to Trenton for good but promptly started dating Lester Santos. We went out on group dates, and she dressed much more subdued, jeans, t-shirts, and sometimes dresses, but they were toned down from her Ranger days. Still, she looked sexy, because that woman knows how to dress her body, but not as in your face. Still, Lester couldn't keep his eyes or hands off of her either. And my Joe would still practically drool over her. Now, don't get me wrong, she is an attractive woman, but she is not drop dead gorgeous. Her hair is a mass of crazy, wild curls, her chest is average, but she has piercing blue eyes the color of sapphires. She's a little on the tall side at 5'7" and is thin, and now fit and toned, but she's still not that special. I know that her personality is her best attribute, she can make anyone feel welcomed and accepted. That is a huge part of her appeal, but men are always looking at her when she walks by, and I don't get it. Granted, I have found myself staring a little too long at Ranger or Lester, but those men are exceptional specimens. You'd have to be blind not to give them a second look. However, my Joe is extremely handsome and sexy, so I am satisfied.

I can tell by the way that Stephanie's eyes locked into Ranger's once they saw each other that they are truly soulmates. They were made for each other and are destined to be lovers. No one exists to them right now but each other. When her nieces and Ranger's daughter Julie get called up for the Unity candle, I can see the love that exists between the five of them. They will be a great family. I just hope, for Stephanie's sake, that Ranger ages gracefully when the three girls all start dating. I look at Joe, and I can see that he is jealous and envious of Ranger. I know that he wants to be standing there with Stephanie, and it hurts me. Many times over the past few days Joe expressed that we should try to get home early to relieve mother of the children as a courtesy because it is hard watching two toddlers, but I know he wants to leave because he doesn't like seeing Stephanie happy with Rangers. As his penance for his past indiscretions, his flirting, and affairs, and for having a daughter that he ignores, we will stay here for the entire wedding. On Monday, when he's at work, he'll get served with divorce papers as I finish moving with my children to Princeton. He can spend the rest of his life alone with his whores. Joseph Anthony Morelli and I are over, and I will take him for whatever money I can get along with his pension. To think that I once was completely head over heels in love with this man, sigh.

 **Angie's POV**

I am super excited that Albert took us to Aunt Stephy's wedding. I know that she wanted MA and me to be flower girls, but Mom wouldn't let us come, so not to make us feel bad, Julie decided not to be a bridesmaid. Once Albert said that we would be here for the ceremony, Aunt Stephy and Uncle Carlos decided to add the lighting of the candle to the wedding, which will make us all a family. Tomorrow can't come quick enough. I think Aunt Stephy and Uncle Carlos are going to New York City after the party to spend the night, but I know that tomorrow at 3 pm we will be a family. I want to call Aunt Stephy 'Mom' and Uncle Carlos 'Dad,' but I'm not sure how they will react. I'll just ask them. And then on Monday, MA and I start our new school with Julie. She said that she will escort us to our classroom and will wait for us outside for the bus in the afternoon. She is going to be a great big sister. But, most of all, I'm excited for the baby to be born. I'm going to miss Lisa; she's cute. I'm sad that she has to stay with mom and Albert. I only hope that Albert will make sure that Mom doesn't hurt her the way she hurt MA and I. Maybe he'll bring her here so we can see her. Aunt Stephy is happy today. I'm glad because I am tired of seeing her sad. Uncle Carlos always made her happy. I'm glad she finally has her happy.

 **Stephanie's POV**

I can't believe that I am married to Batman, finally. Our someday is here, and we are now husband and wife. Today's wedding is the moment that I dreamed about a million times and never thought would happen. Not to mention that when I thought Carlos was dead, the dream was dead, though this day still occurred in my sleep nightly. I am even more in love with my husband today then I was yesterday. Tomorrow, we will be a family of five, and in a few more months, a family of six. We decided not to find out the sex of the baby ahead of time. We will find out when this baby decides to come. I am hoping for a son. There is very little that I can give Carlos because he has everything already, but I can give him a son. Now, I know that I have no control of the sex of a baby, which it's his sperm that determines the sex, but this child is growing inside me, so I hope that it is a boy. I want to name this baby after Carlos if he is a boy, which will make him Ricardo Carlos Manoso, III. I know, very cliche, but it's what I want. I thought to name him after Carlos and Lester, but I can't do that, and my dad, well, as close as we were in the last few years, we weren't close enough to honor him that way. He never really stood up for me against my mom, so I just have a hard time naming a son of mine after him. If this baby is a girl, I'm clueless about the names. I want something exotic and beautiful, maybe Isabella or Anastasia. I don't want a Burg name.

"Stephanie, congratulations," Albert says to me, giving me a kiss and hug. "You look beautiful and happy today."

"Thank you Albert, and thank you for bringing Angie and Mary Alice. It means a lot to Carlos and me to have them here for the ceremony."

"I know. Valerie is wrong, and I'm sorry that it took your custody battle for me to see how bad Valerie was treating the girls. I won't let her treat Lisa that way. I am taking her to a mental health facility in New York on Monday. She needs help; she doesn't see her way of thinking as being wrong. Everything changed the day your mother and grandmother died. I think Val relied on your mother for her feeling of self-worth, and when she died, she lost that encouragement. As you started to flourish and become a successful businesswoman, Valerie started to collapse. You got encouragement and approval from your partners and clients, and Val sought approval by being better than every other Burg housewife. She didn't feel adequate. I hope that the woman that I met is still somewhere inside her but if she is gone, then Lisa, and I will not be there. I can't let Lisa suffer. I hope you will allow Lisa and I to visit with the girls. I know that I have no legal rights to Angie and MA, but I do view them as my daughters, and I know that Lisa will miss her big sisters."

"Albert, you are always welcomed in our home with Lisa. I appreciate everything you have done for them and your support. If you need anything, please, let me know, and I will help you. Even though Val and I will never be close again, I do want to know my niece. She is an innocent in all of this, and I will not punish Lisa for her mother's instability. Again, Albert, please let me know if you need anything."

"Thank you. The day that I met you because of that Soder girl I knew you were a special woman. I had a crush on you, but after meeting Joe and Ranger, I knew I didn't stand a snowball's chance in Hell at being with you. But your sister was so sweet and lost; I couldn't help falling in love with her."

"I understand. You're a good man, Albert, and deserve the best."

"Well, let me round up Mary Alice and Angie to get back to the Burg before Valerie gets too suspicious."

"Bye Albert." I give him a hug and a kiss.

"What was that about?" Carlos asks in my ear as his hands come around my waist from behind before resting on our child.

"Albert was telling me that he's having Val committed on Monday and that if she doesn't change, he's taking Lisa and leaving her. He would still like to visit with Angie and Mary Alice, and to allow them to see their sister still."

"He's turning out to be a good man. I didn't think he had it in him. You know, I think he would be a much better real estate lawyer, doing closings and writing contracts. Maybe I'll offer a job doing that for Rangeman. That way, the other lawyers on staff can help train him, and he'll have a steady income."

"I think that's a great idea, but let's see what happens with Val first. I want to make sure that he keeps his promise to take Lisa away from her if she doesn't see what harm she's inflicting on her daughters."

"Now, Mrs. Manoso, I want to dance with you, and I want to whisper sweet nothings in your ear, and I want to make love to you all night long. Now that you're finally mine, I want to enjoy every part of you."

I turn around to look him in his eyes with my arms around his neck, "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Mr. Manoso."

 **Lester's POV**

Listening to my cousin and Beautiful exchange vows, I realize that this is the way it should be for them. Stephanie never loved me as I loved her. How could she when Carlos completes her? I thought that I would feel jealousy or sadness at officially losing her, but instead, I feel free. I can now finally move on with my life. Dani and I have been dating exclusively, and we have made love a few times, but I didn't feel that connection to her that I thought I should feel. Now, I realize it was because I was still waiting for Beautiful. However, she is off the market, and I am free. I don't have to fear her changing her mind and leaving Carlos for me. I don't know why that thought was in my head, but it was. I glance at Dani sitting next to me, and I take her hand in mine. I bring it up to my lips and kiss her on the back of her hand. She looks at me, and I see love in her eyes, and I feel the love in my heart. I am one hundred percent ready to commit to this wonderful woman sitting next to me. She is the one who will give me my someday, and I can thank Beautiful for taming me and letting me see that my playboy days were over. Yes, I enjoyed being with different beautiful women, but I enjoy being with a woman who loves me more. I never thought that a monogamous relationship could be so great. Stephanie first showed me that making love to someone multiple times leads to learning their body and what drives them crazy. Within a week, Stephanie was able to make me aroused with the simplest touch, look, or sway of her hips. I could go from uninterested to horny in five seconds. Dani has that same power. That makes sex much more enjoyable for both parties.

I think it's time to let Dani know just how much she means to me. I'll talk to the core team and ask them if I can take off during Spring Break so I can take Dani away somewhere special, maybe Hawaii. If we can spend a week together alone away from Trenton, then I'll know that she's the woman for me. Suddenly, Dani's pulling me to my feet, "Lester, the ceremony is over."

"I'm sorry, Baby, I was lost in my head. Let's go congratulate the happy couple, and then I want to dance with you all night long."

"That sounds wonderful, Les."

We walk over to Beautiful and Carlos. Tank finishes his conversation and walks away. I hug Beautiful and kiss. "Congratulations, Beautiful. You deserve your happily ever after with my cousin."

"Les, Honey, you deserve yours too, don't let Dani get away." She says with a wink. I turn to my cousin, and we do the manly bro hug. "Congrats Carlos. You better not fuck up or I will kick your ass."

"I know, Les, you along with Tank, Bobby, Hector, Cal, Hal, Vince, and most of our men. I think the only man who won't kick my ass is Morelli. He'll be there to swoop in a take Stephanie."

"He does look angry and miserable. I think there is trouble in Burg paradise. His wife is jealous of Stephanie because her husband isn't over her yet."

"What do you mean?"

"When we used to go out as a group, Morelli would constantly be checking Beautiful out. His eyes would wander to her chest and her legs, and I could see him mentally undressing her. She used to wear looser fitting clothes and higher necklines but did it unconsciously. The first time we went out, she wore one of her typical dresses, and his eyes were on her the whole time. I don't think she was ever really comfortable around Morelli on her own. I think he tried to get in her pants when he was with her in California because she would refuse his offers to visit her. She never refused our offers after that initial visit."

"Interesting. I thought that Morelli still had a thing for Stephanie, though Steph denies it. We need to keep an eye on the cop. If his wife leaves him, which I think she might, he may try more aggressively to get back with Stephanie."

"Do you want us to put a tracker on his car?"

"Yes. Ask Hector to do it. He's the most discreet and knows the best places to hide it so Morelli will never find it."

"Consider it done. But in all seriousness, I'm glad that you and Stephanie are finally married. You both deserve to be happy and to have your forever."

"You too, don't let Dani get away. She's a keeper."

The music is starting, and it's time for the happy couple to have their first dance. The happy couple walks hand in hand onto the dance floor to dance to "You're Still the One" by Shania Twain. The lyrics fit them perfectly, and it is the perfect beginning to the rest of their lives as Mr. and Mrs. Manoso.

 **Ranger's POV**

We danced, we talked with our guests, and we ate cake. Now, I just want to leave with my Babe and spend our first night as a married couple making love to her. I can never have enough of her body. We can spend hours making love and minutes after I finish, I want her again. If we didn't have the girls and if she wasn't pregnant, I think I could spend whole days locked in our home making love nonstop. I mean, we practically did that in Hawaii. I can't imagine my life without her by my side.

I'm scared to start our new life together as the parents of three girls. I'm barely coping with Julie, and she's my biological child. I know, though, that with my Babe, I can accomplish anything. We finally say goodbye to our last guest, and Lily comes over to us. "Ranger, Stephanie, I have your bags packed and in the Turbo. I'll have dinner prepared and waiting for you tomorrow when you return, enough for the both of you and the three girls. Angie and Mary Alice's rooms are ready for them. I have enough cold cuts and bread for their lunch on Monday, and if you like, I can pack their lunch Monday morning. Enjoy your night, and I'll see you tomorrow when you arrive home. Between Ella and I, everything will be cleaned up and organized when you return."

"Lily, you are already too good to us. I appreciate you helping Ella with our wedding and helping to get Angie and Mary Alice settled. You are a Godsend." Stephanie tells her.

"It's my pleasure. It felt so good to be needed and wanted again. While I had the restaurant, I had a purpose to my day, and it started early and ended late. Now, that I'm working with you, I have a purpose again, that reason for living. I get to take care of you and cook, which is what I love to do. I have a beautiful home, and a beautiful family to share it with now. I'm grateful for how my nephew has been taken care of by your company, Ranger, and this is my opportunity to thank you over and over again."

"Lily, it's my honor to provide a place for men like Cal to work and to be respected, as well as understood. We all understand and relate to one another, which makes our lives much more fulfilled."

"Well, I won't keep you here any longer. Go enjoy your night." With that, Lily hugs us both and shoos us out the door."

Ten minutes into the trip, Babe falls asleep. When we arrive at the Four Seasons in NYC, I gently wake her before the valet opens the door. The bellhop takes our bags and we follow him to the registration desk.

"Good evening, Sir, Madam. Welcome to the Four Seasons Hotel. My name is Karl. How may I assist you?" The fifty-something concierge asks.

"Good evening. I have reservations booked under Ricardo Manoso."

"Yes, you have booked our Ty Waner suite for the night, with your lovely wife."

"Yes. Very well. I just need a credit card, and I will have Juan take your bags to your suite for you."

I hand him my black AmEx card, and he swipes it into his computer. He gives me the papers to sign and hands two key cards to me. "If you have any requests, just call the front desk and we will accommodate you. Have a pleasant evening, Mr. and Mrs. Manoso."

Stephanie and I follow Juan to the elevators where he takes us up to the 52nd floor, to our suite. "Sir, would you like me to take the bags into the room or leave them in the foyer." The bellhop asks in broken English.

"Puedes dejarlos en el vestibulo. Gracias por su asistencia." I respond while slipping him a hundred dollar bill. (You can leave them in the foyer. Thank you for your assistance.)

"Gracia, senor. Trajajare manana cuando salga." Juan responds. (Thank you, sir. I'll be working tomorrow when you check out.)

With a nod, Juan leaves us and returns to the elevator. I pick up Stephanie and carry her into the opulent suite. She is gawking at the living room, with the mother of pearl sheen and the amazing views of the City. I head to the bathroom to fill the large tub with water and bath soap. She finally comes to join me. "Carlos, what are you doing?"

"Mrs. Manoso, we are going to take a bath first. You've been on your feet most of the day and I want you to relax a bit before we move on to other activities. We only have about twelve hours to ourselves here, and I don't want to waste any time."

I watch her remove her shoes and start to take the pins out of her hair. "Stop, Babe." I get up and walk to her. I stand in front of her and remove the hairpins myself. "Babe, I love you curls, and I've been waiting to release them all night long. I can't wait to run my fingers through your hair." I lean in to smell the sweet strawberry scent of her hair. Once her hair is free, I slowly remove her dress. I kiss my beautiful wife on the lips and unclasp her bra. As her pregnancy progresses, her breast keeps getting larger, and I love the way they feel under my hands. I lift her and place her on the counter so I can suck on her breasts for a few minutes. I hear her moan and I love the sounds she makes. I take off my shirt, shoes, socks, and pants, and then I place her back on the tile floor before removing her panties. I gently place her in the tub after securing her hair on top of her head in a bun. I want her hair to stay dry, so I can run my hands through it while we make love. I climb in the tub with her and sit behind her, so Stephanie's back is against my chest. I wrap my arms and legs possessively around her and tell her to sleep. Within minutes, she's asleep. When the water starts to get cool, I let some out and refill it with hot water. I gently wake her with kisses to her neck and playful caressing of her breasts with one hand while I rub her clit with my other hand. She awakens with moans. "Oh, Carlos, that feels so good."

"Do you want me to continue, or do you want to wait until we get out?"

"Please don't stop now. I need to have my first Cuban Sex God, the Ranger-induced organism of my married life." That's all the encouragement I need. I continue to kiss her neck and lips while rubbing her with my hands. I place two fingers inside her while rubbing my thumb on her clit. I feel her body tensing as her orgasm nears. Within minutes, she's trembling as her first orgasm courses through her body. I let the water out and get out of the tub. I tell her to stay as I turn on the shower and adjust the water temperature. Once it is perfect, I lift her out of the tub and place her underneath the shower heads and join her. I take my time washing her using the washcloth and the Bulgari shower gel that either Lily or Ella packed. When I reach our baby, I kneel and place a few kisses. "Mi querido bebe, recuerda que tus padres te quieren aunque no hayas nacido aun." (My dearest baby, remember that your parents love you even though you're not born yet.) Once I finished washing my Babe, she takes the washcloth from me and washes me. As much as I want to take her in the shower, I hold myself back. Babe, however, has other ideas. Suddenly, she's kneeling in the shower with her mouth around my cock. "Babe, you don't have too."

"I know, Carlos, I want to do this." She teasingly licks the tip of my cock, where there is some precum already dripping. She takes her tongue and licks up and down my shaft while holding my balls in her hand. I move so my back is against the shower wall. She takes my entire hard cock into her mouth, where she slowly glides it in and out while following with her hand. I am surprised that she can take me so deeply in her mouth. Even though she has done this to me before, I still am surprised at how great she is at giving blowjobs. I feel my release building, and so does Stephanie. She starts to take me deeper and faster, and I can't help but explode in her mouth. "Babe, please stop." She continues to suck me, even though I released everything. My cock is sensitive right now and it is a pleasurable hurt. Finally, she decides to stop and kisses me. I shut off the water and open the shower the doors. I encase her in a huge, soft towel and slowly dry her body. Once she is dry, I take a towel and dry myself off. I take her hand and lead her to the king-sized bed.

I lay her down on the bed and place my body over hers. I hold my weight up on my arms and legs, not wanting to crush her or hurt the baby. I kiss her, for what seems like hours, which our tongues are fighting for control. I move my mouth down to the sensitive point where her neck and shoulder meet, marking her as mine. I start to suck and nibble on her right nipple while I give the same attention to her left one with my hand. When her nipple is nice and red and sensitive, I switch. I feel her body writhing underneath mine and I know she wants more. I once again kiss the bump where our child is growing, before heading to the promise land. I gently move my tongue around her hard nub, careful not to touch it. She's moaning and thrashing beneath me. I know that I am teasing her and driving her crazy. "Carlos, stop teasing me already."

"Querida, be patient. I promise it will be good."

I finally concede and put my mouth to her promise land. Dios, I love the way she tastes. I know right where to lick her to drive her crazy. I build her up, and right before she's ready to explode, I move back to her hips or thighs. I place my tongue inside her pussy, start to fuck her with my tongue. "God, Carlos, I need to come. Please."

"Why, you don't like this, Babe?"

"I love it, but you are a tease. I need you to fuck me. I need you to be inside me already."

"In time, Babe."

I go back to sucking and licking her nub. I have some mercy on her and place three fingers inside her wet center. I move them in and out slowing and follow the pace with my tongue. Her body is building to an orgasm and this time, I let her release. However, once she does, I still don't stop. Her juices are flowing out and I do the best I can to drink as much of her sweetness as possible. I feel her body readying again and know that she is ready for me. I bring her hips to the edge of the bed, so I can stand while entering her. I place a pillow underneath her lower back to put her at the correct angle. I place her legs on my shoulders and enter slowly and deeply. She is so wet that my cock just glides in, and I feel her tighten around me. "Dios, Babe, you feel good."

"Oh, Carlos, please go faster and harder."

"As you wish, querida." I pump inside her hard, fast and deep. Her moans are getting louder and longer. I finally place my hand on her clit and I feel her explode. I slow the pace because I'm not ready yet. I want her to have at least one more orgasm before we go to sleep for a little while. I can see she's exhausted, but she's also not yet completely satisfied. It's been a few weeks since we've made love, since our date night. She still feels funny making love with Julie in the house. Hopefully, she'll get over that soon because I can't keep on going without having her. I continue to slowly enter and almost completely pull out and once again pick up the rhythm. I lean down and kiss her before sucking on her breasts again. I'm ready to explode and I know that Steph is close as well. Once again, I rub and pinch her hard nub, while she and I explode together. Once we calm down a little and catch our breath, I gently place her back on the bed under the covers where I join her. She places her head on my chest and snuggles next to me. "I love you, Carlos."

"Te queiro, querida." With that, we both fall asleep.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Author's note: I obviously have more than three chapters left in me. But the wrap up is starting. I think that someday I'll write a sequel, but I have to finish Changing Seasons first. Once again, thank you to my Beta for her quick editing turn around. Also, thank you for your comments, especially the lengthy and descriptive ones. I receive so much joy in knowing how much you are all enjoying my story. Please keep the comments coming! Until the next update...**


	15. He's Back!

**The story is mine; the characters are Janet's. Language warning.**

Chapter 15—He's Back

 **Stephanie's POV**

Today is April 2nd. It's been two months since Angie and Mary Alice have come to live with Carlos, Julie, and myself. I am now thirty-two weeks into my pregnancy. Four more weeks until this baby is considered term. We have settled into a nice routine. Julie and I have Sunday Funday, and on Saturdays, I spend my time with Mary Alice and Angie. Carlos is with Julie on Saturdays and Mary Alice and Angie on Sundays. It is helping us all to bond together and not have the girls feel unwanted or left out. However, we all decided that once the baby gets here, these days will happen once a month. I think that the girls are used to being sisters, are friendly and loving the majority of the time. There are little disagreements here and there, but nothing that is out of the ordinary. We have been seeing a family therapist to help us all with this transition and she is helping us immensely.

Two days after our wedding, we got three big surprises. The first was that Lester proposed to Dani and she accepted. I am excited for both of them, especially Lester. He told me that when Carlos and I finally said "I do" he felt free. He was afraid that something would happen to his cousin and we would be thrust back together, but once we agreed to love each other with the vows of marriage, he knew that we would never be an item again. The second surprise was the Albert institutionalized my sister. Apparently, after the girls moved in with me and out of Val's care, she started to drink and didn't stop. When she washed down twenty sleeping pills with Wild Turkey, he knew she needed help. He's giving her a chance to heal before deciding if he will stay married to her. Finally, the biggest surprise was Lauren moving out of Joe's house while he was at work. She took the three children and disappeared. All she left behind were divorce papers and pictures of Joe with several different women in compromising positions and the letter from Lisa, explaining to Lauren what had happened to her years ago. Joe spent a month trying to find Lauren before she finally took pity and visited him at work. She told him that she knew about his cheating ways; their marriage is over, and she moved into her parent's home now that they decided to live in Florida year round. Between the child support and alimony for Joe's four kids and Lauren, Joe will be lucky to be able to afford my old apartment.

Carlos thought I would be mad at Dani's involvement in Lauren finding out about his daughter, but I said that after all Joe has done to me, even after we broke up, and how he was cheating on Lauren, he deserved his punishment. Dani was grateful that I approved as well. After I told her how I broke his leg, she no longer felt guilty. Grandma Bella stopped cursing everyone now that her precious grandson fell from the good graces of the Burg. It also seemed as though Angie stopped giving him food and cut him off.

Today, I'm nothing but a ball of nerves and anxiety. Carlos had to go to Miami after one of his men got shot and another one killed in a robbery gone wrong. He's supposed to return today, but my spidey sense is going off. I feel like something bad is going to happen, but I don't know what. My doctor does not want me traveling now that I only have eight weeks left. He's not happy that I travel to Trenton and Newark from Deal, but at least I'm in Jersey. The girls are in school and Lily is out getting our groceries. It took me a few weeks, but I got over my hesitation to make love with the girls in the house. I realize that we have a large house and a sound-proof room. Not to mention, Carlos and I are married, so we aren't doing anything wrong or setting a bad example for the girls. As I'm reliving a very lively and hot session from last week, the phone rings. I glance at the caller ID. It's Carlos.

"Yo." I say to my husband.

 _"_ _Hey, Babe. How are you feeling?"_

"Tired, lonely, and anxious. My spidey sense is in overdrive."

" _I guess I'll cut to the chase then. Rachel is trying to regain custody of Julie. She had me served yesterday at the wake for my man. She is claiming that our household is unfit because of you. It seems that she has found out about Valerie and your mother. She is claiming that because you are all related, that you share the same mental illness. I have to report to court tomorrow for a preliminary hearing. Julian, my attorney, is drawing up papers to postpone any trial or hearing until after our baby is born. The courts are going to want to hear from you in person, and being that you are unable to fly or leave NJ at this time because of your condition, he thinks it will be approved."_

"Crap Carlos. Do you want me to tell Julie or will you tell her when you return?"

" _Give her a heads up. Don't go into details with the why yet. I'll explain all that to her when I come home. I should be there in three days. Babe, I love you."_

"Te quiero, mi amor." I reply.

 _"_ _Don't go crazy."_

"Don't get shot."

 _"_ _Bye Babe."_ With that, Carlos hangs up the phone. I start thinking about Rachel's concerns and feel myself going into a panic attack. What if I turn into my mother or Val? I never wanted a child because I was afraid that I would be an unfit parent. What if I'm right? What if this pregnancy will cause me to have the same mental illness? Could I hurt the girls the way mom and Val hurt me? Damn it; I need Carlos. I pick up the phone and call him back.

 _"_ _Babe, are you okay?"_

"No, Carlos. I'm scared."

 _"_ _Mi amor, why are you scared?"_

"What if Rachel is right and I turn into my mother and Val once I have this baby? What if some hormonal imbalance that occurs after giving birth caused the instability?"

 _"_ _Babe, you are the most loving, caring, and good-hearted person I know. You always put everyone else's feeling before your own. You strive to make sure that everyone is always happy, often at your expense. Please don't worry. Besides, I would never, ever let you turn into your mother."_

"I guess it's just the pregnancy hormones and my fear coming to the surface. I miss you. You are my rock, my support. Without you, I can't cope as well. I'm scared that if something were to happen to you, I would fall apart. Maybe Rachel is right. Maybe Julie is better off with her and Ron."

 _"_ _Querida, listen to me. You are a good woman, and you are a great mother to Julie, Angie and Mary Alice. Do you realize that all three girls already consider you their mother, not a stepmother or guardian? You need to see yourself the way we all see you, as a strong, loving, caring, and kind-hearted woman. Babe, I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible. If you need anyone, call Lester or Dani. They'll help you."_

"I know, but I needed to hear it from you. Te queiro, mi amor."

 _"_ _Te queiro, Carina."_

 **Ranger's POV**

As I hang up for a second time with Stephanie, I want to throw my phone at the wall. I am so livid that Rachel is causing even more problems for Stephanie and I. Haven't we been through enough shit already. Our blended family is finally starting to gel together and coexist like a "real" family. I don't need it to getting broken now. Mary Alice and Julie share a strong connection. I think it is because they are both free spirits in their ways, and are not the type of girls to conform to normal standards, especially not the Burg standards that Valerie and Ellen have shoved down Mary Alice's throat since birth. I don't know what will happen to Mary Alice if Julie was forced to leave our happy family. Rachel has to have an ulterior motive; I just don't know what it is yet. I hate that I'm stuck here in Miami. I mean, I love my office here. I have a great big window that gives me a view of the ocean in the distance, so it has a calming effect on me, however, with all the crap that Rachel is pulling, I can't relax. I decide that its time to investigate my ex-wife. I pick up my office phone.

"Rangeman, Silvio speaking."

"Silvio, my office." I hang up the phone.

A moment later, there's a knock on my door, and Silvio enters. Behind him is my SIC, Marco, head of the Miami office when I'm in Trenton. "Silvio, I need you to run a full search on Rachel and Ron. I want to know who they have been talking to, either in person, on the phone, or electronically since I came back, highlighting the time since I've had custody of Julie."

"Okay Boss, but why?"

"Rachel has filed papers to have the custody of Julie returned to her and Ron, stating that Stephanie is an unstable mother. Julian is working to block her motions in court, but I need more evidence because I think she's up to something."

"Consider it done. These searches are my priority."

"What do you need me to do, Ranger?" Marco asks.

"We need to set up round the clock surveillance. Are the trackers still on Rachel and Ron's cars?"

"Yes. We never removed the trackers from their cars. We knew Julie would come to visit, so we didn't want to have to try to reapply them to the vehicles."

"Good. Keep Rachel's movements monitored. I want to know who she speaks to, who visits her, and why. I don't trust her. She seemed more than happy to be rid of Julie by the time the initial proceedings were complete, but know she's doing a complete 180, and I don't know why."

"Okay. I'll have a couple of guys follow them. When are you returning to Trenton?"

"Once everything gets settled with the court, hopefully in three days. Stephanie is 32 weeks along and is starting to swell. She's on modified bed rest, so she's only working two days a week. She's going crazy. She hates being home. I drive her into Trenton with me every day, so she got to see some of her friends and gets to have lunch with the guys, but she can't drive there alone."

"Pregnancy does make a woman more high maintenance."

"I know. But it'll all be worth it."

"Do you know if you are having a boy or a girl?"

"No. We decided against finding out."

"Do you have a preference?"

I sigh, and then answer. "Of course, I want this baby to be healthy, and initially, I wanted a girl, who hopefully looked like her mama. I want to be able to spoil her the way Stephanie never was and won't let me. But, now that Julie, Angie, and Mary Alice are living with us, I want a little boy to balance out the testosterone in the house. Too much estrogen."

"What does Steph want?" Marco asks.

"A boy. She wants a mini-Ranger, as she states all the time." We both start to chuckle.

"Well, Ranger, whatever you have, that child will be lucky. You and Stephanie would both give anything and everything to make sure that your child well cared for and loved. I hope, for your sanity, that you have a boy. You'll need some recuperation after dealing with three girls dating."

"Tell me about it. Julie is seeing a boy in her class. He's a nice young man, Jon is his name. He's been over for dinner a few times, and hasn't run yet."

"Did you run a search on him?"

"No."

"No?"

"Stephanie did. Apparently, Julie told her about him months ago, and Stephanie ran a search on him then. Once they started dating, and Julie told me about him, I was about to run a search when Steph gave me the highlights and her approval."

"Her approval? I'm shocked you didn't want to see the results for yourself."

"You know Steph is the best researcher on staff. Even though she doesn't do that much anymore, she has the best instincts I've ever come across."

"She is good. Silvio always contacts her when he is stumped."

"I know. Steph's one in a million." Just then, my phone rang. "Yo."

 _"_ _Ranger, it's Lester. We have a problem."_

 **Lester's POV**

"Fuck, Tank. When did this come in?"

"About an hour ago." Tank answers.

"Do you know what this means?" Bobby asks.

"Of course he knows. We're not stupid." Hector responds in Spanish.

"Dalton is out and looking to hurt Ranger and Beautiful again," I reply, clarifying it for everyone.

"How the fuck did he get out? They assured us that he would never see the light of day again." Tank answered.

"How should I know, you have higher clearance than Bobby and I. You need to contact the General," I respond.

"We need to tell Ranger. He's in Miami and Stephanie is alone in Deal with the girls." Bobby adds.

"Could he have gotten to Rachel? Is that what is driving her to get custody of Julie back?"

"Well, it is keeping Stephanie and Ranger away from each other." Tank replies.

I pick up the phone and call Ranger in Miami. Ranger picks up and says, _"Yo."_

"Ranger, it's Lester. We have a problem."

 _"_ _What's the problem?"_

"Dalton got out; he's escaped. We think that he may have gotten to Rachel somehow and is using her and Julie to keep you and Stephanie apart."

 **Tanks POV**

 _"_ _Fuck. I'm here with Marco; I'm putting you on speaker. Is the core team there?"_

"Yeah, and we're on speaker now too."

 _"_ _Once we hang up, I'm going to call Julian and see if I can leave immediately. I'm supposed to be in court in two days, but I'm not going to risk being here, so far away from Stephanie, especially in her current condition. I need one of you to stay with her and the girls 24/7 until I return, and even after."_

"I'll call Dani and ask her to drive the girls home." Lester responds.

 _"_ _That's a good idea. Dani will keep the girls safe."_ Ranger answers.

"What about Bomber? With both you and Bomber out of commission, we don't have as much flexibility." I add.

 _"_ _Steph can do her work from home. Who else can work from my home office?"_

"Lester can. He's the only one. We need Hector on site for any emergencies with the equipment, Tank is running the office, and I have to stay put in case someone gets injured, especially since my back up, Bones is in the wind."

 _"_ _Lester?"_

"Yeah, I'll go. I'll stay with Beautiful. I'll let Dani know. Is it okay if she wants to stay as well?"

 _"_ _Of course. We still have plenty of rooms."_

"Okay. I'll text Dani the invite. Do you want me to leave now to go your house right away?"

 _"_ _Yes. I don't want Stephanie alone any longer then she has to be, I'm concerned that he might try to get her while I'm stuck here in Miami."_

"I know Julian will do whatever he can to get you home asap," Bobby says.

 _"_ _I know that too, but I hate waiting."_

"Dani is cool with it. We'll see you when you get home; I'm outta here." Says Lester before he leaves the office.

 _"_ _Do you think that he is okay with staying with Steph?"_ Ranger asks.

"Yes. Since you got married, the awkwardness and tension that was between Stephanie and Lester are nonexistent. I think he and Dani are in a good place and will be fine, even with Les spending days with Bomber." I answer.

 _"_ _Boss, you should have Les bring her into HQ with him. It will help to keep her sane and keep them in their new zone."_ Marco adds.

 _"_ _Good idea. I'll let Lester know. Expect Stephanie at work tomorrow."_

With that, phone call ends. "We need to contact Alexander Ramos and let him know to be on the lookout for any usual people hanging around until Lester gets to Stephanie," I tell the room.

"I'm on it," Bobby replies and then leaves. Now, it's just Hector and I. "Hermano, están Lester y Stephanie bien? ¿Todavía hay un deseo de algo más que amistad entre ellos? ¿Ranger necesita preocuparse?" (Brother, are Lester and Stephanie okay? Is there still a desire for more than friendship between them? Does Ranger need to worry?) "No. Ellos son solo amigos. Lester está enamorado de Dani, ya que Estefanía está enamorada de Ranger." (No. They are just friends. Lester is in love with Dani same as Estefania is in love with Ranger.) "Espero que tengas razón, de lo contrario, tendremos un gran problema." (I hope you're right. Otherwise, we'll be in big trouble.)

 **Stephanie's POV**

My Spidey sense is still going off. The calls to Carlos didn't help me. Something is about to happen and I don't know what it is. Maybe I should drive to Trenton, but the doctor doesn't want me driving by myself. Maybe I should call Tank and ask him to send someone here. I hear the alert going off that someone is at the gate. We're not expecting any deliveries and Lily has a fob. I get up to see who's at the gate and call Lily at the same time.

 _"_ _Hello, dear. Do you need me to pick you up something?"_

"No Lily, I was just wondering when you were going to be home. I want to take a shower, but didn't want to be startled if you arrive home before I finished."

 _"_ _I should be home in about an hour. Are you sure you don't need anything?"_

"Well, now that you asked, I could use some more Tastycakes."

 _"_ _Hahaha. Don't worry, Steph. I'll get you some."_

"Thanks, Lily."

 _"_ _Bye Steph. See you soon."_

With that, I hang up. I look at the gate and see an unfamiliar car and someone who looks like Dalton in the driver's seat. OMG! I call the control room from the panel.

 _"_ _Bomber, what's wrong?"_ Cal responds. I guess he's on monitors.

"It looks like Dalton is outside the gate trying to get in. I'm alone here. Lily is shopping." I hear Tank enter the room and he takes the call from Cal.

 _"Steph, Lester is on his way. His ETA is less than ten minutes. DO NOT LET ANYONE INTO THE GATES. I've called Alexander Ramos, and he has men coming to help secure the area. Lock yourself in the panic room. Lester will open it when he arrives. Take you sat phone."_

"I leave it in there charging."

 _"_ _Good. Call me when you are locked in."_

I run to the back of the house towards the special panic room. It is blastproof and bulletproof. It can only be opened from the outside by the core team in conjunction with the code from someone of the household. We have a special code to be put in if we are under duress. When no one is in the room, anyone can get in; it is always open. I get in the room and lock the door. I pick up the sat phone and call Tank. "I'm in."

 _"_ _Okay. Ramos has his men coming on the block in both directions. We have Dalton boxed in; he shouldn't be able to get away. Lester is coming through the back entrance now. He'll be at the house in about two minutes. Are you okay?"_

"I'm feeling better, but I'm scared."

 _"_ _Bomber, you'll be fine."_ _"_ _Okay, two of the Ramos men are opening his door. He's getting out. He opens fire. They are firing back. Two are down. It looks like Dalton and one of the Ramos guys. Lester is in the house and heading towards the room."_

I see Lester's code come up. My panel flashes green, meaning it's his normal code. I enter my code and the door swings open. I collapse into his arms. He holds me close to him and says, "Everything is okay, Beautiful, it's okay, you're safe. I promise you're safe." I melt into his arms and listen to his heartbeat. I find myself falling asleep in his arms as I am coming down from my adrenaline rush.

 **Lester's POV**

She finally falls asleep. Her heart rate was way too high and I was concerned for her and the baby. She still has at least four more weeks to go before she is full-term. I need to get her more comfortable. I pick Steph up and carry her to her bedroom. I place Steph on the bed and take off her slippers. I pull the covers down and tuck her in. God, I forget how truly beautiful she is when she is asleep and resting. She looks young and innocent. I miss her. I mean, I am happy with Dani. Dani is a wonderful woman who loves me and who understands me. She is just as crazy as I am, but there is something about Beautiful. I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because she was my first love, which I know sounds juvenile. I can honestly say that until Stephanie, I have never loved a woman. I get ready to walk out of the room when I hear her talk.

"Les, can you stay here with me? I'm worried, scared, and I miss Carlos."

"Sure, Beautiful, I'll stay here with you."

I move to sit in the chair next to the bed but she pats the bed behind her. "I need to feel someone's arms around me right now."

There is a part of me that wants to get into bed with Stephanie, that wants her in my arms, to remember what it was like when she was my woman and my fiance. But now she belongs to Ranger. She is his wife and my cousin. I don't know if I can control myself, so I move the chair closer to her bed. "How about I hold your hands and rub your back instead? I don't think Carlos would like to hear that I was sharing a bed with his wife."

"You're right, that'll be fine. Thank you. Once I fall asleep, you can leave. I'll be fine then."

"Don't worry, Beautiful; I'm not leaving you alone until Carlos returns."

XXXXXXXXXX

The last two days have been torture for me. Being this close to Stephanie when she is vulnerable is driving me crazy. I can't do this anymore. I can't be her protector when Ranger is not around. It is too soon, I'm still not 100 percent over her. Even though Dani and I have made love every night that we're here, I still can't help getting a hard-on when I see Steph. She's weeks away from giving birth but is still beautiful. Ranger can't get back home fast enough. Dani and I wake up in bed, wrapped around each other and I know that Dani can sense that something is off. I think she wants to confront me, but I need to be honest with her because I do love her. "Dani, we need to talk."

"Les, honey, what's wrong?"

"I am having difficulty being near Stephanie for long periods of time. Every time I am, the old feelings that I had for her come back and it hurts."

"Does she seem to feel the same way?"

"No. Steph has never made any advances or indicated that she wanted something else. I know that she loves Carlos with her whole heart, but I'm not sure I'm fully over her."

"Lester, you had a crazy break up. One minute you are engaged and planning your wedding, and the next, your cousin and her former fiance returns from the dead. You both thought that Ranger was dead, and had moved on with your lives. Then he returns. Stephanie runs back to him because he is the love of her life, and you are left alone. I get it. I understand how hard this has to be for you. I know she is the first woman you ever allowed into your heart. But, she is married and is expecting her first child with her husband."

"I know that, Dani, which is what makes it bearable, because I know I can't have her, ever. I know she is over me, I'm just not over her. Would you be willing to move away from Trenton for a year, maybe two?" I can see her trying to figure out why I want to leave. She seems to be considering it.

"Why? I need to know your reasoning."

"I need to get fully over Stephanie. Listen, Baby; I love you. You are the light in my darkness and my better half. But, as long as Stephanie is near, I can't fully give you my heart as you deserve. Every time I feel like I'm making progress, another emergency occurs and I am forced to live with her and be with her all day and night. I can't turn my cousin down, because he doesn't trust many with his wife, but I need to break away from her for awhile. I want to be able to devote my whole attention to you."

"Do you think that you will get completely over her if you leave Jersey? What happens when you have to return here or go to a family function?"

"I just need space. My brain knows that there is nothing left between us. My heart has to catch up. Dani, I don't want to hurt you. I love you, and I want you to be my wife. But I can't be the husband you need until I get Stephanie out of my heart."

"Lester, honey, I'll give you one year. From September to June, an academic year. If you aren't over her by then, I can say that we have no future."

"Thank you, Dani. Do you have a preference for Miami or Boston?"

"Miami, of course!"

"I'll make arrangements. However, we can't leave until after Stephanie gives birth."

"Lester, honey, I have to finish the school year, so we can't leave until July."

"Okay Baby. I'll talk to the team about transferring to Miami."

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Author's Note: We're winding down the story now. There will be chapter with Batbaby making an appearance and then an epilogue and we'll be done. I'll try to wrap this story up this weekend. A shout out once again to my beta, who is helping me to become a better writer of Fanfiction. To all of you who have been following from the beginning, thanks for the reviews. I promise, once this is finished I will complete Changing Seasons as well as eventually write a sequel to Dream. I'll make sure to keep you posted. Hope you enjoy the story and please, KEEP THE REVIEWS COMING!**


	16. The Ultimate Betrayal

**The characters still aren't mine, but the story belongs to my heart. Warning, the characters have potty mouths.**

 **Chapter 16—The Ultimate Betrayal**

 **Ranger's POV**

I am stuck sitting on a hot concrete bench at the beach, watching Rachel and Ron. Today has to be unseasonably hot, a temperature of 105 degrees, and it's only April! Don't even let me get started on the humidity. I know, I know, I'm Cuban, I should be used to it. But even though I spent my high school years living in Miami, I've been out of this climate too long. I have gotten used to the cool Jersey Springs, which I miss right now. However, if my Babe were here with me wearing one of her sexy little bikinis, then I would welcome this section of Hell called Miami. Sigh. Stephanie is in Trenton, once again with Lester as her bodyguard. As much as he says he's okay with staying with Steph, I can't help feeling like he's not comfortable around her. I hate to keep pushing them together. I think they both need time apart and this situation with Dalton is not giving us that time. A savvy kid is walking along the beach selling semi-frozen bottles of water. I give him the ridiculous two dollars that he wants for a 16-ounce bottle, but I need to give him credit for being enterprising. As I sip the cool water, I feel it going through my body. So much better now that I've cooled off a bit. I'm wearing a white Rangeman shirt and tan cargo shorts with sneakers. When sitting outdoors doing surveillance, lighter colors work better in Miami than the black I wear in Jersey and Boston. I know that Rachel and Ron are waiting for someone. They look too out of place on the beach. As I look around, I see that most female beachgoers are wearing the skimpiest bathing suits they could find. Others are sitting under large umbrellas, sipping water or slurping on an ice or ice cream cone in a race to consume more of their frozen delight then they wear. Rachel wears a pale yellow strapless sundress. I have to admit, Rachel still does look good. She is aging well. Her dark brown hair is in a french braid, and she is wearing flat white sandals. Ron is in an aqua blue polo shirt and khaki shorts. On his feet, he is wearing flip-flops. What self-respecting man wears flip flops? None of the Rangemen would be caught dead in flip-flops.

They are sitting on a blanket in the sand, but have no food or water between them. It certainly seems like a meeting is bound to happen. A group of college-aged boys is playing soccer on the beach, trying to impress a group of college-aged girls. As I watch them, I'm forced to hold in a laugh. I can picture myself as a cocky, arrogant 18-year-old man who would play soccer on this very beach with Lester and our other friends, trying to see who would get the most phone numbers. Of course, even then, I would always come out on top. I got to work my magic on several unsuspecting ladies thanks to my talent playing soccer. The training I received from those girls is what allows me to drive my Babe crazy.

I look past the soccer players and see someone else who doesn't belong walking towards Rachel and Ron. This gentleman i **s** older than Rachel and Ron, maybe around sixty, with short, cropped blonde hair. He is wearing a casual button-down shirt and dress pants, walking on the beach barefoot. As the mystery man gets closer to my position, I can recognize him. "We got visual. It seems as if the meeting is taking place now. Roll the tape. I don't want to screw anything up."

"Ranger, do you know who is meeting them?" Marco asks me through the earbud.

"General Myers, Tank's handler," I reply. I am shocked to see one of the men who we trust with our lives here talking to Rachel and Ron. I know that we have a mic on them and we will hear what is being said back in the office. I'm here to have a visual to decide if I should intervene now or later. I think we will need to take the General into custody depending on what they discuss.

 **Rachel's POV**

Why did Ron and I agree to meet on the beach, in 105-degree heat? It is suffocating out here. I hope the General arrives soon. I don't know how much longer I can last here dressed. I should've worn a bathing suit underneath with a wrap. Then, I would blend in more. I don't know why I listened to Ron when he insisted that we wear regular clothes. Today is the day when we get the payout and the forged documents we need proving that one Stephanie Manoso (formerly Plum) is unfit to be a mother to Julie. Ranger will be forced to pay me even more money for her care then he did before and I will be able to increase the bank accounts of my other children, my legitimate children, not the bastard child he gave me. Everyone knew our marriage was a sham. Hell, he never even got me an engagement ring, while our wedding bands were plain 14 karat white gold. I didn't even get $100 for the band when I pawned it. Meanwhile, that bitch Stephanie gets a gorgeous, diamond engagement ring and an obnoxious diamond wedding band. Now, Carlos is a multimillionaire, she gets everything, while Ron and I have to struggle to make ends meet every month, especially now that he has custody of Julie. The only positive thing I can say about him is that he didn't take the child support payments that I am legally supposed to give him. He is raising Julie on his dime, as he should.

I don't know how Carlos and Stephanie have so much influence over so many people in Trenton. You would think that they were the mayor and his wife. Everyone bows down to them and looks at them like they are the golden couple. Hell, she was knocked up by him without being married, but no one views her as a slut or whore like they did me. I was lucky when I met Ron, that he was willing to raise Julie as his child and that he still wanted me even though I wasn't a virgin. Carlos sweet-talked his way into my pants and stole my virginity. Granted, I didn't do anything to stop him. He was and still is, the sexiest man I have ever seen. I would fuck him again in a heartbeat. I love Ron and we have a great life together, but he severely lacks in the bedroom department. That one night with Ranger, he gave me about four orgasms, all within a couple of hours. Yes, he was gone before the Sun came up the next day, but the memory of that night was etched in my brain forever. I was lucky that my cousin's girlfriend, now his wife, knew Lester from the neighborhood. Otherwise, I never would have been able to tell Carlos about his daughter.

My parents were about to disown me, I was the laughing stock of my neighborhood and I didn't have a single friend. Thank God his Abuela Rosa made him 'do the right thing' and marry me. We went down to city hall and exchanged vows in front of strangers. On our 'wedding night,' we fucked once and that was it. He explained that the army came first, that he needed to get his career in order so that he could support Julie. He said he wanted to try and see if we could work out, but he was due to go on a mission shortly after her anticipated birth. Until then, he was in training. He got us an apartment on the base, and life wasn't what I ever expected. I mean, don't get me wrong, he treated me well, never hurt me physically, but he wasn't present. Carlos was not emotionally attached to me. We would fuck, we never made love and it wasn't that often. For such a hot guy, he had no sex drive and was always tired. He claimed his training with the army tired him out. I think he wasn't interested in me. I've seen him with Stephanie a few times, he looks at her like he's never looked at me. He is constantly searching for her and touches her whenever he can. Stephanie seems to crave his touch as well because she is always leaning against him or throwing herself at him. I can only imagine the type of sex that they must regularly be having. Lester has told my cousin that Carlos and Stephanie are inseparable. He also told Javier that Stephanie is a 'great lay.' I guess he would know since they were engaged.

I don't understand what all the guys see in her. I am much prettier than she is. Stephanie has the most out of control, rat's nest curly hair that is a boring shade of brown. Her blue eyes are piercing, but her body is okay. She's a little taller than average height, she keeps her weight in check, but she has a fairly small chest, not to mention her pale skin tone. I'm much more exotic looking than she is; with my long, straight, shiny almost black hair, dark brown eyes and olive complexion. I tan easily, and my 36D natural chest is better than Steph's B-cup. However, she managed to land the affection of not one, not two, but three extremely hot, sexy men and is the fantasy of almost all of the men who work for Carlos in Trenton _and_ Miami. When that bastard Scrog took Julie, I was secretly happy. Julie was gone and it had the potential for her to be out of my hair for good, but alas, Carlos managed to save her. Who knew he had that strong of a parental pull towards the child he ignored and gave up? Lester told Javier how Carlos was afraid that Scrog would go after Beautiful (his ridiculous pet name for Stephanie), that as much as it hurt him to lose Julie potentially, Carlos wouldn't be able to forgive himself if Beautiful were to get hurt. But, at that time, she was dating that cop, Joe Morelli. Now, talk about a fine piece of meat. He is HOT. He was obsessed with Stephanie and according to the General, he still is even though he has a wife and three kids. When Carlos woke up in the hospital after being shot, he asked about Julie and then, Stephanie. I could almost see tears of relief in his eyes when he heard that she was safe. What type of pull does she have on men? Is she that good in bed?

Well, enough with dwelling on the past. The whole reason while I'm sweating out here on the beach is that of a chance meeting with General Myers. A few years ago, the General first approached me with a way for me to have the easy life. All I would have to do is find out who Carlos held most important to him in his life. The answer was easy. Julie was constantly talking about Stephanie and how she hoped that her 'father' would get the guts to ask her out already. Julie didn't understand why Carlos was so hesitant to make a move on this woman who he loved, who she also loved, the woman who saved her life. I told the General that Stephanie Plum was Carlos's biggest weakness. A few months later I got the call that Carlos was dead. Now, as part of his will, Julie had a large inheritance that I had control over. Julie would live the good life, but I couldn't touch her money. That bastard left Julie two million dollars and gave me five hundred thousand for her college fund. That was it. I also know that she inherited a house and a ten percent share of Rangeman Miami that she would inherit upon her twenty-first birthday. The bitch Stephanie, his fiancé also received a ten percent share in Rangeman Trenton along with a couple of million dollars. His whore got more than I did. However, the General gave me a cool million for helping him out. Now, if I manage to get Julie back into my custody, not only will he take her off my hands for me, but he will give me another five million. I just have to spread these lies about Stephanie Manoso.

I see the General approaching. Ron and I wait for him to join us. "Hello, Rachel, Ron. It's nice to see you once again." The General addresses us.

"The pleasure is all ours, Sir," I reply with my fake sweetness to make him think that I'm kissing his ass.

"Rachel, I have papers here that will show that Mrs. Manoso was in a mental institution briefly about ten years ago, after her divorce. I fabricated why she was there, but it's enough for her to lose custody of Julie, her nieces and her unborn child. Once the judge rules in your favor, returning Julie to your care, I'll give you your next two and a half million dollar payment. Upon Julie's kidnapping and death, you will receive the final payout. Don't worry, Carlos we will be implicated. We won't have another Scrog. Scrog was a mistake, we didn't realize he was unstable. This time, with Pierre on board, we will nail Carlos. He'll give us the fake tracking data to push our case and then he'll take over Rangeman. Ron will take over control of the Miami office and he will stay in Trenton."

"Perfect. This information is solid; no one will discount it, right?" I ask tentatively.

"Yes. It is solid. No one will question the information." The General assures us. "I just have one question for you before I hand it over and we complete our business together." I nod for him to ask. "Why do you agree to do this? Why are you allowing me to hurt your daughter?"

I look to Ron and ask him to leave with my eyes. He gets what I'm trying to say and he walks about ten feet away. I turn to the General and answer his question. "Carlos destroyed my life. I was on my way to Harvard with a full scholarship. I was going to be a doctor, a neurologist. That was my dream. I studied hard, stayed home and didn't date. The only reason I went out that night was to celebrate. My friends and I were at this bar in South Beach and in walked Carlos with some of his army buddies. They were all sexy and hot. I wasn't used to good-looking guys giving me a second glance, so when Carlos approached me and started to flirt, I was all over him. I didn't drink, I was completely sober and I fell hard for him. Carlos is three years older than me and had so much more experience than I did. Carlos is such a great dancer; so good that it almost felt like we were having sex while dancing. When he suggested that we move the party to someplace private, I jumped on the opportunity. Little did I know then that it was going to be in a sleazy motel. The few hours that we had together were incredible. I had given him my number; I slipped in his pocket. When I woke up, he was gone, the paper with my number on it was sitting on the nightstand. It said 'Thanks for the night. I don't do second dates.' That note crushed me; I felt ugly and unworthy. I thought I meant something to him that he liked me; wanting to date me, but I was just some easy slut for him to get his kicks that night. Three months later, when I found out I was pregnant, I was two weeks away from heading to Harvard. My parents were disappointed and refused to help me. Fortunately, my cousin knew his cousin, so I was able to contact him and tell Carlos about Julie. He did the honorable thing and married me, but assured me that he was only putting a ring on my finger for the benefit of his child, not because he loved me. He told me he would never marry, never have a long-term relationship with a woman because his army career was too important to him. We stayed together until Julie was born. Then, he deployed somewhere for several months. When he finally returned, he stated he wanted a divorce and told me to move on with my life. After Ron and I decided to be married, I called to tell him. He asked if Ron wanted to adopt Julie. Ron said yes, and he signed away his paternity, though he still provided for her financially. I always hoped that he would come back to me because of Julie, but once he gave her up, I knew I didn't have a chance. Then, after Scrog, I thought for sure that he would come back to me and stay close to Jules so I could dump Ron, but no, he stayed in Trenton because he was in love with that bitch Stephanie. Now, she's his wife, and I'm stuck with Ron." I look in the General's eyes, and he seemed to like what I said. He nods his head in agreement while handing the envelope to me.

"Make sure to keep your tracks covered. We wouldn't want Ranger to find out about this, or you will be in trouble. I cannot protect you or your family if he comes after you. Watch your back, Rachel." The General replies before leaving. I feel a chill run down my spine. What the fuck did I just get myself into; is it worth the risk? Did I just sell my soul to the devil to get rid of that brat and that fucking asshole who destroyed me? I guess only time will tell. I turn and walk to Ron. When I reach him, I throw my arms around his neck, pulling him into a kiss. Ron is a good man, but he's no Carlos Manoso. Carlos ruined me for all other men; no one can compare to Carlos in the bedroom.

 **Marco's POV**

I am sick to my stomach and disgusted by what that bitch just said. Julie is a wonderful young lady. I have watched her grow, and she is going to leave a mark on this world. How could a mother hate her child? It wasn't Julie's fault that her parents had unprotected sex, that she was an "oops" baby. She cannot control that Ranger wasn't in a place in his life to be a father. But to think that Rachel wanted Julie to die? If anyone needs to be institutionalized, it's that viper. I call Ranger to update him.

"Boss?" I say when I hear him pick up.

"What did you hear, Marco?" Ranger replies.

"She is setting Julie up to be kidnapped and killed. She doesn't want Julie in her life because Julie ruined her life. She wants to hurt you by hurting Julie." I hold my breath and count to ten, hoping that Ranger doesn't do something stupid, like shoot Rachel or Ron.

"I am going to kill that heartless bitch. Please tell me we have this all on record?"

"We do. And Boss, Tank is involved. He wants to take over Trenton permanently. The plan is for Ron to take over Miami once you are out of the picture."

"How the fuck do they think this plan will work?" Ranger asks.

"Beats me. Should I have the General detained?"

"No, I'm going to call in some favors and let the higher ups deal with him. I'll bring the recording to the custody hearing tomorrow. Maybe we can get the petition thrown out."

"Sounds good to me, Boss. Might as well come back to HQ so you can hear the conversation for yourself."

"That's the best idea I heard all day. Just give me a half hour to decompress. I'm going offline. Don't worry; I won't kill anyone." Ranger states before disconnecting. Tank, I never would have thought that Tank would betray Ranger. They've been together for so long. Fuck! Bomber is in Trenton and under Tank's care. I need to let them know they can't trust him. Who should I call? Lester! I'll call Lester. He was engaged to Bomber, so I know that he will do anything to keep her safe, plus, he's Ranger's cousin. I pick up my phone and dial his cell.

 _"_ _Hey Marco, how's Miami?"_ Lester states when the call connects.

"Miami is great, but the news from here isn't that good." I tell him seriously.

 _"_ _Uh oh, what's going on? Is Ranger hurt?"_

"No, but you have a rat in Trenton."

 _"_ _Who? I can't picture any of our men turning against Ranger or Beautiful."_ Lester responds incredulously.

"I wouldn't have believed it either if I didn't hear it for myself." I pause and sigh before continuing. "Lester, the rat is Tank. Tank is working with his handler, General Myers, to have Julie killed to get back at Ranger. Rachel is in on the plan. She has no use for her daughter."

 _"_ _That Mother Fucker! I'm at Ranger's house with Steph. I'll keep her safe. I'm going to call Hector to have him remotely change the codes so Tank can't come onto the property. He can do it from his house so Tank will not know about the change. Thanks for the heads up. Does Ranger know you told me?"_

"No, not yet. I expect to be called to the mats when Carlos returns, but I'll take my beating. I only want to ensure that Stephanie and his child are safe."

 _"_ _You're a good man, Marco. I'll keep her safe."_ Says Lester.

"Thanks, bro." With that sentiment, I hang up.

 **Ranger's POV**

I slip into my Porsche and drive around Miami. Before I know it, I'm in my old neighborhood. I see my Abuela's house, now painted white with mint green trim instead of the light blue that it was when I lived here. It's a modest two-story cape with two small bedrooms upstairs. Lester lived two doors down, in a house that is identical to my Abuela's except that it is still yellow. It has a picket fence around it, and I can see three children playing in the front yard with a chihuahua chasing after them while running under the sprinkler. I park my car between my old home and Lester's and take a trip down memory lane. Rachel grew up in this neighborhood, too. She went to the local Catholic school. If she had spent any time in my public high school, she would never have slept with me. My reputation preceded me. I hate to admit it, but I was Miami's version of Morelli. Parents told their daughters that the Manoso and Santos boys were only after one thing, sex. That was the truth. We wanted to score with as many girls as we could. The only difference is that I never wrote about my conquests on the bathroom walls, and I always had a willing partner. I learned early on never to initiate the first kiss, to never make the first move. I always let the girl determine how fast or slow we would proceed. If she wanted to stop, I stopped. I never pushed. Once a girl said 'no' or showed any hesitation, I walked away. I mean, there were plenty of willing girls for me to fuck. Rachel was the only one who was a virgin, though. I lost my virginity to my next door neighbor when I was fifteen. She was eighteen. Dios, if her father ever found out, I'd probably be dead right now. I snuck into her bedroom window and we fooled around while her parents slept. She gave me my first hand-job, my first blowjob; then she taught me how to pleasure a girl with my hands and my mouth. She is the one who instilled that I should always take care of my woman, make sure she had a few orgasms before I finally fucked her, because not all woman can have an orgasm when a guy is fucking them. Something to do with their anatomy. Whatever. I didn't care to know the reason then; I just enjoyed the lesson. Three days later, she left for college.

By the time I met Rachel, I was already the master of the one-night stand. I learned how to get in and out, literally and figuratively speaking, in less than two hours, while ensuring that the woman du jour was satisfied, as well as myself. Rachel told me after I fucked her that I was her first. I was angry at myself when she told me. I could usually spot a virgin at fifty paces. I don't know how she flew under my radar. When Lester gave her my number so she could contact me three months later, I knew I made a huge mistake. Don't get me wrong; I love Julie. I'm so glad that she's my daughter, but I never planned on being a father, especially not a father at twenty-one. I admit, I was cruel to Rachel, but I never loved her, hell, I didn't even like her. She wasn't even a good fuck. Even after we got married, I just couldn't get excited about fucking my wife. I never cheated on her, I wouldn't disrespect any woman like that, but I just fucked her because I was horny. I never wanted to fuck another woman a second time. I never left until I was satisfied, but the women were either too clingy, too stuck up, or too innocent. As I started to become wealthy and frequented more classy establishments, women just looked at me as their sugar daddy. They wanted me for my money, not for who I was, and frankly, I just wanted their body for a couple of hours.

My love them and leave them philosophy changed when I met Stephanie. She is the first woman who I initiated all the moves with; I kissed her first, I felt her up first and made love to her. I thought that after the DeChooch deal, I would be able to cross her off my list. However, that one night made me want her even more. I stayed the night, for the first time. Even when I was married to Rachel, I was never in bed with her when she woke up after we fucked the night before. I'd make sure to get up early to go for a run, just because I didn't want to deal with the emotions of the morning after when I felt no emotions. I always slept in shorts, even though I prefer to sleep naked. But with my Babe, I didn't want to leave her bed, ever. Then I made the stupidest move; I sent her back to Morelli. I was such a fucking ass. Dios, I miss Steph. I need to get back to her soon. I want, no need, to hold her in my arms. Maybe I should call her. I decide to head to the beach.

I arrive at the secluded beach where Lester and I used to hang out. I get out of the car a walk onto the beach to the edge of the water. I removed my shoes and socks back in the car. I walk along the water's edge and think of how much Stephanie would like this spot, to see the large expanse of sand in front of me. There is a storm coming in and the waves are choppy and getting taller. The salty sea air is clearing my head while the ebb and flow of the water calms me. I pull out my phone and call my wife.

 _"_ _Yo."_ My wife says as she answers the phone.

"Querida, how are you?"

 _"_ _Better now that I'm talking to you."_

I smile at her wise-ass remark. "Is Lester being nice to you?"

 _"_ _Of course he's nice. He loves me."_ She pauses, seeming to catch what she said, _"you know, like a sister."_

"Babe."

 _"_ _What's wrong, Carlos? You don't sound right."_ She asks. Dios, my wife reads me well.

"I just found out what Rachel is planning and I am angry, hurt and feel betrayed."

 _"_ _Can you tell me what you found out?"_

"I will, in a little while. I'm at the beach right now, looking at the ocean to calm down. I needed to hear your voice to help center me. I'm heading back to HQ now. When I get there, I'm meeting with Marco and my team here. I want you, Lester, and Dani in on the meeting, so we will teleconference."

 _"_ _Bobby, Hector and Cal are also here with me. Do you want them in on the meeting as well?"_

"Are you having a party there?" I ask. I'm so confused on why everyone is at my house.

She laughs before responding, _"I don't know why Bobby and Hector are here. They said they missed me. Cal is here because today is Lily's birthday. As you already know, Dani is staying here with Lester."_

"Yes, you all need to be part of this conversation," I inform Stephanie.

 _"_ _Are we going to be on with Trenton as well?"_

"No, do not tell anyone outside of those who are with you about the meeting, okay querida?"

" _Okay, if it's that important. Te quiero, Carlos."_

"Te queiro, Babe," I reply before hanging up. I take one more look out to the ocean and decide to head back to my car. I call Marco to tell him my ETA is fifteen minutes. He is to assemble the core team in the conference room while getting everything ready to bring in everyone in Deal.

 **Stephanie's POV**

I hang up with Carlos and head back outside to the patio where we are all sitting, having birthday cake with Lily. I decide to tell them what Carlos wanted. "Miami will be contacting us in about a half hour to conference with them. Something is going on that Ranger wants to bring us up to speed. We are not to contact Trenton or anyone in HQ."

"Damn, it must be big if he's secretive." Bobby states.

"Could it involve Tank?" Dani asks.

"It's possible, I mean, why else wouldn't he want Trenton in on the call?" Cal responds.

Lester is staring off into space. He knows more than he's letting us know. "Lester, what do you know that rest of us don't know?"

He looks at me and sighs. "Beautiful, you know me too well. I can't hide anything from you." He pauses before continuing, "Tank is involved in Carlos's death, Scrog and the plan to take Julie away from you. I'm not supposed to know. Marco called me about an hour ago to give me the heads up to make sure you are safe. That's why Bobby and Hector are here. We needed to change the codes for the gate so Tank can't get onto the property."

I feel like I've been sucker punched. I start to see black dots in my eyes and struggle to put my head down with my huge belly. Lester and Bobby immediate come to my side to help me relax. "Steph, you're safe. We're not going to let anything happen to you. We love you and will keep you safe." Bobby said as he was rubbing my arm. I start to relax and sit back up.

"So, that means that Tank has been trying to hurt Ranger for years! That doesn't make sense. I mean, haven't they gone on missions together? Wouldn't it have been easier for Tank to kill Ranger while on a mission?"

"Since we formed Rangeman, we have rarely been on missions together. Usually, it would be myself or Bobby with Ranger. We never let Ranger and Tank go, being the number one and two of Rangeman. Similarly, Marco never went with Ranger nor did Jimmy from Boston. We never wanted the leadership to be gone together. We didn't want to risk the company." Lester explained.

Dani, who was sitting quietly off to the side spoke up, "But what does Tank have to gain from taking out Ranger?"

"Control of Rangeman. Upon Ranger's death, Tank received a fifteen percent stake in both Miami and Boston. Ranger is currently the only one who has an interest in all three offices, aside from Stephanie since their marriage. Here in Trenton, when Ranger died, five percent of his quarter went to me, Bobby and Tank, while ten percent went to Stephanie as his fiancé. In Miami, ten percent went to Julie, and ten percent of Boston went to his parents, which in turn would go to his siblings upon his parent's death. He wanted to make sure that his family, would be taken care of if we were to die. Dani, now that we are engaged, if something were to happen to me, you would be a ten percent partner in Rangeman Trenton, and my other fifteen percent would go to Tank, Bobby, and Ranger evenly." Lester explained.

"But I still don't understand. If Tank only has ten percent of the other offices, then how does that put him at an advantage? He still needs to answer to the other partners, right?" Dani asks.

"It means that Tank has a say in what happens in each office. He has access to the money, the employment files and day to day operations. Right now, Ranger can make any changes in the company that he wants without permission from any other owner because he has a stake in all three offices. Tank would get that control." Clarified Bobby.

We all sat there letting it sink in for a few minutes. "But then why did Tank let Ranger name me in his will and allow him to propose to me right before he left on that final mission? If we weren't engaged, what would have happened to my ten percent?" I ask.

"Tank would have gotten it as CFO," Lester stated.

"Ranger no tell Tank about marrying you," Hector stated. We all looked at Hector as if he had three heads.

"Como lo sabes?" Lester asks Hector. (How do you know?)

"Ranger me dijo que no confiaba en Tank. Dijo que Tank intentaba que terminara su relacion con Estefania y la emprijara de vuelta a Morelli." Hector answered.

"Fuck. Now I know why Tank was livid at the reading of Ranger's Will." Lester responded.

"Um, what did Hector say? I don't speak Spanish, remember." I ask.

"He said that Tank didn't know that Ranger was proposing to you or putting you in his will. Tank was pushing Ranger to break up with you and send you back to Morelli."

I didn't know what to think anymore. Tank was someone who I trusted, who Carlos trusted. I always thought that I could count on him to help me, but obviously, we were both wrong. It seems that there is a strong possibility that he was feeding Lula the information on me purposely. Wow, I guess they are perfect for each other. I feel tears start to well up but keep myself in control. I don't want Ranger to pick up that I'm upset when the call comes through. I was about to ask how much longer would it be before Ranger called, when the phone rang.

"Hey, what's up?" Lester asks as he places the call on speakerphone.

I hear Carlos's voice and immediately feel better. _"Is everyone there?"_

"Yes, we're all here. I filled everyone here in on what you told me before, Marco." Lester added.

 _"_ _Marco, you contacted Lester? Why?"_

 _"_ _Boss, I knew that Lester was with Stephanie. I wanted to make sure that she was safe and that Tank couldn't get to her."_ Marco replied.

 _"_ _Babe, where are the girls?"_

"They are making Lily dinner and dessert for her birthday in her cottage."

 _"_ _Good. I'm going to need to keep this from Julie until I get home. Make sure she doesn't find anything out. I have to figure out how to tell her what happened."_ Ranger states.

Bobby spoke up. "Ranger, we need to hear what is going on in Miami. We know that Dalton is dead. I checked the morgue myself and he is dead as a doornail. He isn't going to bother us anymore."

 _"_ _Good, but we have a bigger threat. General Myers."_

"What does General Myers have to do with anything?" Bobby asked.

 _"_ _He is working with Tank and was working with Dalton. He is the one who set up my mission. He is the one who is in contact with Rachel and paying her to tells lies. He met with Rachel and Ron today."_ _Explained Ranger._

"What is his plan?" I ask.

Ranger takes a deep breath, then fills us in. _"He is giving false documentation to Rachel about your institutionalization after your divorce from Dickie. The information in the report would make it clear that you are an unfit mother. We would lose not only Julie but Angie and Mary Alice as well. He also hinted that we would not have custody of our baby."_

"What the fuck, Carlos, I was never institutionalized. How would he have documentation that says something like that?"

 _"_ _Babe, alphabet organizations can make a lot of very convincing, very authentic documents."_

"What else, Ranger?" Bobby asked.

 _"_ _Myers and Tank were behind Scrog. Myers set up my last mission so Dalton could kill me, but he failed. Now, once Rachel regains custody of Julie, Myers plans on kidnapping Julie and killing her, while setting me up as the kidnapper and killer."_

"How could Tank set up something that would kill Julie?" Dani asks.

 _"_ _Tank is power hungry. He hates that Ranger always overshadowed him. When we were all active, we were the top ten. Ten was Cal, nine Raphel, eight Vince, seven Ram, six Jimmy, five Bobby, four myself, three Tank, two Lester, and number one, Ranger."_ Marco explained.

"Lester, you were number two?" Dani asks, obviously shocked.

He smiles smugly and says, "Ranger and I have been training together for years before we joined the Army. We can communicate with just our eyes, read the slightest changes in each other's body language, all while changing plans almost instantaneously. Tank could never understand how we are so connected, but then again, he doesn't understand that we've been honing our skills since Ranger was sent to live with Abuela Rosa."

"Cual es el plan?" Hector asks.

 _Ranger answers,_ _"_ _We have the conversation between General Myers and the Martines recorded. Julian will play it for the judge at the preliminary hearing tomorrow. That should be enough to have Rachel and Ron arrested for conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to kidnap a minor. Julian will contact Ron's sister to take custody of their other two children. We sent the tape to the directors of the FBI, Homeland Security, the CIA, the NSA and the President. It should be enough to have General Myers permanently incapacitated."_

Finally, Bobby asked that ten thousand dollar question. "What are we going to do about Tank?"

 _"_ _We keep him in the dark. When I return to Trenton, he's a dead man."_ _Ranger stated simply._

 **Author's Note: Hope you enjoy this update. Once again, thanks to my awesome Beta for cleaning up my words allowing my story to flow better. Loved your great review, especially the long and detailed ones. I am trying to write back to you, but some of you are guests. Just know, I do read every review. Keep my payment, I mean reviews, coming. ENJOY!**


	17. Saving Julie

**The characters are still JE's, but she is letting me play with them. They all have potty mouths, so I apologize in advance. Smut alert.**

 **Chapter 17—Saving Julie**

 **General Myers's POV**

I can't believe that Rachel is such a cold, cruel heartless bitch. I've never heard a mother speak with that much contempt for their child. I don't understand how she can't love her. I have no plans for killing Julie. That would be a waste of life. Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving her to Manoso, nor am I going to hide her; I am passing her off to the human traffickers I know. They will ship her off to the Middle East where she'll spend the rest of her meaningless, worthless life doing what women were born to do, satisfy men sexually. I am assuming that she is a virgin due to her age, so I will earn top dollar for her, not to mention that she's Manoso's daughter. That will earn me a higher price as well. He pissed off too many people who are all chomping at the bit to get back at the great Ranger Manoso. Not to mention she is hot. I can probably get a minimum of ten million for her. Yes, people are willing to pay that much money for a good piece of young ass. Julie certainly fits the bill. Ranger will be imprisoned for her kidnapping and murder, while she will be serving her sole purpose. I will arrange for Manoso's death while in prison.

Ranger has been nothing but a thorn in my side from the very beginning. Every time I tried to get Tank on a mission, I would be overruled, with Ranger getting the call. He was the best, now the higher-ups want to hire him to train the new Ranger recruits. I offered for them to hire Tank, but they don't want him, either alone or in conjunction with Ranger. They will take Santos with Ranger, though. My superior informed me that Santos and Manoso are the best at changing directions at a moment's notice, can communicate without saying a word or use body language; they communicate with their eyes. It's a skill that they want all new Ranger recruits to have. No matter how long Tank and Ranger have worked together, in the Army and now in their company, they do not have that communication skill down. Everyone worships Ranger. However, Tank is his sidekick; while Ranger is Batman, Tank is Robin.

When Ranger was presumed dead, my time had come. Finally, I was able to push for Tank to get more missions, but instead, they went to the beta list and called on the Seals instead of the Rangers. So, Tank was out. Bastards. I will never get that promotion, Tank has held me down, but if I manage to take out Ranger permanently while destroying his reputation, I will move up in the ranks. Tank will then benefit from my promotion.

I'm stuck in Miami, staying at a beautiful beachside Marriot. The view from my eleventh-floor room is stunning. I can see and hear the ocean waves crashing on the shore. The room's decorations are beiges, with a darker brown coverlet and accents. It is very relaxing. However, I can't seem to relax. Something in my gut is telling me that everything is going to blow up in my face. I looked around while going to and from my rendezvous with Rachel and Ron, but I didn't see anyone who didn't belong. I even got there an hour early to stake out the place. The only unusual sight was the man who was sitting on a bench reading the paper. I don't know why anyone would sit outside willingly for over ninety minutes in this sweltering heat. At first, I thought that it was one of Manoso's men, but his men only wear black and this guy was wearing a white shirt and tan colored cargo pants. He was too far from us to hear what we were saying, so I guess I can dismiss his presence.

Still, I can't shake the feeling that I need to get out of Miami, sooner rather than later. I pick up the phone and call the airlines. I'll see if I can get on the next flight out of here. I'm just concerned about this storm that's coming. I hope the storm doesn't ground the flights. I need to get back to D.C. as soon as possible.

 **Ranger's POV**

We finish with the teleconference with everyone in Jersey. I feel confident that Stephanie and Julie are safe for the time being. My attorney, Julian is coming into the office in a little while to figure out how to present the recording we have of the Martine's and the General. Rachel and Ron had agreed to the trackers years ago when Julie was still a toddler. They signed documentation that they were aware that Rangeman would be monitoring their movements and would occasionally, with or without their notification, monitor their discussions in their home, car, place of employment, or anywhere. After Julie came to live with me, they never asked for the document to be destroyed or rescinded their consent. The document would stay in effect until Julie is no longer considered a dependent to either the Martine's or myself. That documentation should cover us legally.

I am still sickened by the realization that Rachel hates Julie. I always thought of her as a good mother, but she is turning out to be worse than Ellen Plum. I'm just glad that I have Julie living with Stephanie and me. My poor Babe, what Rachel is trying to do to her is unconscionable. If she were to succeed, she would destroy Stephanie. I may not have been the best father for most of Julie's life, but I want to be an active and involved father for all the girls along with the baby. I want to make up for all of my mistakes with Julie. Rachel and Tank are two of the last people who I would ever think would betray me. But, I will get my revenge; I will destroy them both.

The intercom buzzes in my office. "Yes," I respond.

"Ranger, Sir, Mr. Cruz is here."

"Send him to my office, Pedro."

I get up to look out my window. I don't have a window in my office in Trenton. If I did, I would just be staring at a building, but here in Miami, I can see the beach off in the distance. I, like Stephanie, find solace and peace watching the ocean. I hear the knock on my door. I turn to open the door to Julian Cruz, my attorney.

"Good evening, Carlos. What information do you have for me that is so urgent?" He asks.

"Julian, I have a recording of a very intense, very damning conversation between Rachel, Ron, and General Myers that will allow the police to charge them all with conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to kidnap a minor, Julie."

"You have got to be kidding me, Carlos. I don't believe that for a moment."

"Do you want to hear the conversation now?"

"Yes, of course." I turn my computer monitor around so he could see the recording and press play. He watches and listens, with his eyes changing from doubtful to shock to anger. When it is over, he responds. "Son of a bitch. We are going to nail those bastards. There is no way that Rachel will ever get custody of Julie again. I'm just shocked that she would get involved in something like this.

"You and me both. I have Stephanie and Julie safe back in Jersey. But, I need to be there now. I know I can't leave until tomorrow, but we need to make it fast and quick. Tank is involved. The only way that I can rest and ensure that Julie and Stephanie remain safe is to be there with them in New Jersey."

"I understand, Carlos. With this information, you should be able to return to New Jersey tomorrow. However, was this recording obtained legally?"

I show him the documentation that we have on file with Rachel and Ron's signatures. He reads it over carefully, looking for any loopholes that would make the agreement null and void. Upon finding that the documentation is perfect, he allows himself to smile. "Carlos, I don't know how you do it, but you always have yourself covered for every possible contingency. There is no way that this evidence will be thrown out in court. What about the General, what are you doing about him?" Julian asks.

"I sent a copy of this recording to everyone, and I mean everyone. I'm waiting for a call to find out how to proceed. I have a man on the General, so as long as he stays in Miami, I know his location. This storm that's coming in is already shutting down the airport, so I don't think he'll be able to leave Miami before tomorrow."

"Carlos, I just want to warn you. You cannot be part of the takedown of the General. You have to let your men take care of him without getting involved. It could blow up in your face. Please stay away from him."

I sigh. I know that Julian is right, but I don't like it one bit. "I know. It's frustrating because I just want to get even for him fucking with my life. I lost three years. Stephanie and I could be expecting our second or third child, instead of our first. We are both nearing forty, I don't know if Stephanie will be able to have more children, nor am I sure that she wants more. I mean, we have a pretty full house right now with Julie, Angie, and Mary Alice."

"You seriously want more children?"

"Yes, I do. My business is at the point where I don't need to be there every day. I can make my hours and work from home. I love Stephanie and Julie. I come from a big family. I never envisioned having a large family, but now that I found Stephanie, that's all I want. I would love a couple of sons to take over Rangeman. I think Julie wants to work there as well. She works closely with Stephanie when she's there and Julie would be great doing Stephanie's job. I just want everything. I can provide whatever my family wants or needs, most importantly, I can give them me."

"Well, then, Carlos, you better talk to your woman about that sooner rather than later."

"I will, once I get back to Jersey."

"I'll make it happen. Stay safe." Julian remarks before he leaves my office.

I glance back out the window, watching the dark storm clouds roll over Miami. There's a flash of lightning, followed by thunder. Hopefully, the humidity and heat will break a little. I hate thunderstorms. I used to love them as a child, but after my years in the Army, I can't stand them. Damn it; I wish my Babe were here.

 **Tank's POV**

I have been the number one in command here in Trenton for almost four years now. Granted, during three of those years Ranger was presumed dead. However, since his return, our clients are no longer interested in talking to or meeting with me. They only want Ranger or Stephanie. I understand why they want to talk to Stephanie. She has the people skills that only Lester can match, but Ranger? He's not much different from me when it comes to dealing with clients. His only advantage is his appearance. He's a pretty boy. Women swoon over him everywhere he goes. It drives Bomber crazy sometimes, especially when women ignore her standing right next to him with her hand in his or his arm around her waist. But to be fair, men react to Stephanie in the same fashion. I'm just a huge black guy that is a little scary. No matter how I try to raise myself in their eyes, they still only want to deal with Ranger.

General Myers assures me that my time to shine is almost here. I'm just waiting for his phone call to find out how his meeting went. He said that he scheduled the meeting for 1300 hours. It is now 1600, and I haven't heard from him yet. I know I can't contact him, but I'm getting concerned. About ninety minutes ago, Bobby and Hector left for Deal. Bobby said something about having to check on Stephanie; he said she thinks that she's having contractions. He wants to check to make sure that she and the baby are okay. Hector is going in case she is in labor. He will stay with the girls so Lester, Dani and Bobby can accompany Steph to the hospital. Once again, I'm left here alone to run the whole fucking company while Ranger is chilling in Miami.

My satellite phone rings and I pick it up. "Captain Dupree speaking."

 _"Captain, it's General Myers. Are you alone?"_

"Alone and secure."

 _"Good. All is a go. RRM took the documentation and phase A will play out tomorrow. Be prepared to ship target to Miami before the weekend."_

"Glad to hear all is going as planned." I respond with a smile.

 _"Don't worry, Captain, your lady friend will be back in your bed in a few weeks."_

"I look forward to that day. Thank you, General." With that, the call ended.

I still can't believe that Rachel is willing to set up Ranger. I know that he never treated her well; it kills her when she sees him with Stephanie. I made sure to let her know how they fuck like rabbits. She shared with me over the years how Ranger never wanted to be with her when they were married, how he kept his distance and they would rarely have sex. He blamed it on training, on her being pregnant, but I know the truth. She disgusted him. She was too inexperienced to hold his attention. He tried to broaden her horizons a couple of times, but she resisted. So, he gave her up. One thing I can say, though, is that he never cheated on her. He stayed true to the vows he hated to make. I also informed Rachel on how Ranger spent three weeks celebrating his divorce by fucking anywhere from one to three women a night. He was a little sexually frustrated.

I knew about his deal with Stephanie. I thought it was genius. Here was this woman who could resist the great Ranger Manoso. Who wasn't falling at his feet or throwing herself at him? She had honor, and he had to trick her into bed. I also knew the night that he went to cash in. I waited up to hear how she was, how the conquest went, but he never returned that night. He didn't return until it was time for his work out in the gym. He spent the night for the first time in his life. He not only fucked her, but he slept with her, staying until the morning. He refused to share details, except to say that she wasn't out of his system, he still wanted her. I knew about all of their kisses in the alley; I could see him fondling her breast when placing wires during distractions. However, I know that all those times when she stayed on seven, they didn't fuck, which made no sense to me. I know they shared a bed, but how they both managed not to share each other is a mystery.

Rachel hated to hear how well he treated Stephanie. It was pleasurable for me to feed her hatred. I just never thought she'd turn on Julie. Oh well, she is turning out to be just like her old man, so it's no loss. I was always number three. Number fucking three. Lester made it up to number two on Ranger's coattails, but I never got elevated beyond three, even when he was gone. Marco was pushed up into the number two slot. The higher-ups felt that he and Lester worked better together than I did, so I wasn't elevated. Fucking paper pushers. I met Ranger and Lester on the first mission after Julie was born. Ranger spent half of our downtime bitching about his 'paper wife' back home, trying to accept that he wanted to divorce her. Ranger said she was pretty to look at, but that was it. She was boring, didn't like to go out, exercise or hang out at the beach. Reading was her only form of enjoyment. And in the sack she was boring. He took care of her, then took care of himself, but if he had to spend his life with her, he would never be truly satisfied. When I met her, I understood what he said, but she did seem to love him. She was never our match, though. She hated our job. Ranger would have spent his life in the Army, going on every mission he possibly could just to stay away from her.

We opened Rangeman Miami first. He wanted to be able to protect Julie. He also wanted to be near his Abuela Rosa. When we got it started, running smoothly, he appointed Marco as his SIC. Trenton opened so he could ensure that his family in Newark was safe. I was supposed to run Trenton with Bobby as my SIC, while Lester and Ranger were to return to the Miami office once we got established. He was weeks away from leaving Trenton for good when Connie called him in to help train Stephanie. He went to meet her as his badass self, trying to scare her off, but she stood up to him. She got his attention because she didn't fawn over him or try to flirt with him. She just accepted him. When I first met her on the redecorating job, I could see that she was a looker. Stephanie didn't back away from any of us, even though I threw someone out the window. When I got shot, she was legitimately concerned about me. I know that Ranger saw her naked a few weeks after they met. Morelli had handcuffed her to her shower rod after she 'commandeered' his truck. When he left her standing there alone, without a towel, she called Ranger. He hung up on her initially, but when she called back, he decided to see what happened. When he returned to our small two-bedroom apartment, he explained what he saw.

 _"Man, you wouldn't believe what Morelli did to Stephanie. He was pissed off because she took his truck, and like a good Jersey girl, she hid his distributor cap so he couldn't drive away. He went to her apartment to search for the cap as she was taking a shower. He cornered her in the bathroom, dumped her purse, and used her cuffs to keep her in the bathroom, attached to the shower rod. She was standing there naked, without a towel. Damn, I'm going to be dreaming about her for nights, Tank. She was obviously cold, as her nipples were rock hard, and her legs just go on and on. She was embarrassed but very self-assured at the same time. When I got there, I looked at her while she thanked me for going to her in the middle of the night. After I opened the cuffs, I handed her a towel. Dios, part of me wanted to leave Stephanie cuffed so I could have my way with her, but I couldn't do it. She trusted me to help her. No woman has ever trusted me like that, I mean, she didn't even try to make a move on me." Ranger told me._

 _"Ranger, bro, you got it bad. You have a hard-on for a little white girl from the Burg. You better distance yourself or you'll be in trouble."_

 _"I already am in trouble, Tank. I'm not going to Miami until this Morelli situation is over. I need to keep my eye on her, so she doesn't get hurt. She has no idea what she has gotten herself into."_

That was the end of my dream of running Trenton. I knew then that as long as Stephanie Plum was in Trenton so would Ranger be in Trenton.

 **Stephanie's POV**

I am still shocked about Tank. I know that Tank, Lester and Bobby go way back. You would think after all of those years together nothing would ever pull them apart. But, as a girl growing up in the Burg, I of all people, should understand how jealousy can rear its ugly head.

"Bobby, what did you tell Tank when you left to come here? Isn't he going to be suspicious that the entire core team is in Deal and not Trenton?" I ask.

"No, Bomber, it's fine. I told him that you thought you were having contractions and wanted me to check you out. I took Hector with me so he could stay with the girls if you needed to go to the hospital."

I breathe a sigh of relief. Carlos can't get home fast enough from Miami. I miss him. I never sleep well when he's not with me. I look at Lester to see him fidget. He is much more uneasy then he is normally. I will try to talk to him one on one soon.

"Well, I guess we better see if the girls finished cooking dinner. It's good that they are cooking and not me, or we would have nothing edible to eat."

They all laugh, before Dani replies, "Steph, you've been getting better. You haven't poisoned anyone yet."

I walk over to the cottage and knock on Lily's door. Immediately I'm assaulted with the wonderful aroma of delicious food. The girls made roast beef with onions and carrots cooked in the pan with the roast. They have a gravy simmering on the stove top. The side dishes included brown rice along with grilled cauliflower and broccoli. My stomach starts to growl immediately. "Wow, it smells marvelous in here! Is dinner ready?"

"Yes, Mom, dinner is all set. You can tell everyone to come over for dinner. Angie and MA are finishing setting the table." Julie tells me.

I walk back to the main house and reflect on how truly lucky I am. I have Julie, Angie and Mary Alice as my surrogate/adopted daughters. The girls are getting along well while our family is blending. Everyone works together to make the household run, without making a big deal out of it. I enter the kitchen and find everyone there but Lester. I tell the crew to go to the cottage. I stay behind to find Lester. I pause for a moment to think where he could be right now, then I realize, the balcony. Lester, like Carlos and I, go to the balcony looking down to the water's edge to think and decompress. I go to his room and knock on the door. I hear him yell, "Come in." I open the door and see him standing in front of the door looking at the ocean. "Dani, go eat dinner, I'll be there in a little while."

"It's not Dani," I announce while walking over to him. I put my right hand on his shoulder and ask "What's wrong, Les. You're not acting like your normal self."

"I can't do this anymore, Beautiful. It's not working."

"What's not working?" I'm confused. Is he trying to say that he doesn't love Dani? Or is he saying that he doesn't like working anymore?

"I can't be your bodyguard anymore; I can't live in this house with you when Carlos isn't here. I can't be near you like this." With that statement, his voice cracks. My heart is aching for Lester because no matter what, I still love him. He is my best friend, my savior. The person who saved me from myself when I thought of ending my life. I need to save him.

"Oh Les, I know it's hard. I have difficulty with it as well. I'm sorry I asked you to lay with me the other night, but I don't sleep well without Carlos and you always helped me to chase away any demons. I'll talk to Carlos to ask that he sends Hector or Bobby instead."

"Beautiful, it's not just that, I see you around the office, too. You are happy, your radiance shows, which makes you even more beautiful. Then, when you and Carlos are together, it breaks my heart. I mean, I'm happy for you because your dreams are all coming true, but I'm jealous and envious that you are in his arms and his bed, that you are his wife."

"I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"I know, Beautiful, but it happened, all because of General Myers and Tank. I'm going to ask for a transfer to Miami. Dani already agreed to move there with me." Lester quickly told me.

"Is this move going to be forever?" I ask as tears threaten to fall.

"No, one year only. I hope that with some time away from you I'll be able to finally let you go and be fully able to give my heart to Dani."

"I'm going to miss you, Lester. I don't know how I would have survived without you. Just promise to call me at least once a month and come home for the holidays."

Lester looked at me with a curious expression. "You're not mad at me, Beautiful?"

"Why would I be mad at you? You are leaving to figure out your life, just like I did when I ran to California. I understand your motive and I support you. Just remember, if you need me, I'm a phone call away."

"Thank you Beautiful. I am excited for you and Carlos, but it's still an open wound."

"I understand. I felt that way when Joe and Lauren had their first child. Even though we both moved on and knew we weren't right for each other, I was still envious of his life. But you, unlike Joe, love me, and I love you, so we will always be friends. Now that we're cousins, we are stuck with each other forever."

With that, my stomach decided to growl again. "Come on, Beautiful, let's go get you some food."

"Sounds good to me."

 _Later that night_

"So, Dani, I spoke to Stephanie tonight. I told her about our move to Miami."

"What did she say?" Dani asks.

"She is fully supportive of our move, but she made me promise to call her at least once a month and to come home for the holidays."

Dani smiles and can tell that I'm happy. "I hope you agreed to her terms."

"Of course, I did. I'm not stupid. I'm more scared of upsetting Stephanie than I am of upsetting Ranger."

"Why is that?"

"Ranger is scary when you make him made, but if you hurt Stephanie in any way, he's even worse. So, as long as Stephanie is happy, I can handle whatever Ranger throws my way."

"I'm curious, Lester, why do you call Ranger "Carlos" around Stephanie but Ranger all the other times?"

I look at Dani while pausing to think. I never realized that I have slipped into calling him Carlos more often. I finally answer her, "Whenever we are with our family, I tend to call him Carlos because that is who he is, he's Carlos. But at work, he slips into his Ranger persona. It is only around Stephanie that he lets his guard down while letting Carlos come out to play. Stephanie is calling him Carlos. Therefore it just triggers me to use the same name."

"I guess that makes sense."

"Now, enough talking and come over here." I order her. She takes a few tentative steps towards me. Once I have her within arm's reach, I grab her hands and pull her to my body. "I've been waiting all night to have my fiancé in my arms and me inside you." I give her a deep kiss, as I unhook her bra with her shirt still on. When I remove her shirt, her bra is gone as well. I kiss her beautiful breasts and suck on her lovely nipples. I love her c-cup. I never liked women with large breasts, but also not ones who had small little nothings. Dani's are the perfect size for me to love, suck and lick. I love foreplay, but Dani would rather get right to the main event. "Lester, inside me, now." She orders me breathlessly.

I quickly remove her tight black cargos only to see that she is commando. Dios, how fucking hot. She quickly removes my clothes before giving my cock some love with her hand. "I think you are more than ready for me, Les."

"You know I am." I lift her up and place her on the edge of the bed. Her hips are hanging off the bed. I place a pillow under her lower back to get the proper angle so I can get deep inside her. Once I enter, she starts to respond by playing with her breasts and nipples. She then moves one hand down to her hard clit while continuing to torture her breast with her other hand. I lean down to give the neglected nipple and breast some attention. I take her hard and fast, which is how she likes it. When I feel like she is about to come, I pull back and slow down. I don't want her to come just yet. I continue to build her up before letting her down a few more times. Finally, I feel myself reaching my limit, so I push on and don't stop until we both have our release. She screams out my name as I yell out hers. I stay inside her and roll us, so she is straddling me and I'm on my back.

"Ready for round two?" She asks as she moves her hips. My cock is getting rock hard once again.

"You know I am, Baby. Give it to me." I command her.

 **Ranger's POV**

I pull up in front of the courthouse. Phase A is starting. My men, led by Marco, are ready to take in the General as I am taking down Rachel. Hopefully, this will be the end of this Hell. I get out of my my car and walk up the steps. Julian calls my name as I wait for him to join me. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, I'm ready. I need to get back to Jersey as quickly as possible."

"Then let's go."

"Who is the judge?"

"Judge Carol Whitmore. She's perfect for us. Whitmore is one judge who won't be overly sympathetic to mom."

We walk through the doors where we must pass through the metal detectors. I smartly left all my weapons in the car except for my Glock, which is on my waist. I have my Florida carry permit, so I am granted entrance into the courthouse. We walk to her chambers where I see Rachel and Ron waiting with their attorney. "Rachel thinks this is going to be a slam dunk, but she doesn't know that we have the video. I am pushing for us to speak only before the judge in open court."

"Do what you have to do, Cruz. I pay you the big bucks to make these problems disappear." I tell him.

The two attorneys walk over to each other to do their song and dance. Julian is wearing a well-cut Armani pinstripe black suit with a crisp white shirt, along with a black and white tie. Rachel's attorney is wearing a clearance rack navy suit that is too large for his frame. His shirt is that same shade of blue as his suit, with a red tie. He looks ridiculous. She is obviously not spending any money on a quality attorney. Rachel has on a black pencil shirt with a purple and pink short-sleeved button-down blouse, nude colored nylons and simple black pumps. Ron has on tan-colored dress pants with a dark green button-down shirt. I, like Julian, am wearing an Armani suit, only my shirt is gray silk with a simple black silk tie. Stephanie would call this look "Corporate Ranger." I chuckle as I think of what my Babe would say while licking her lips. Julian returns to my side.

"We are going into the courtroom, the judge will address our case in about thirty minutes. The only evidence they have is the falsified report from the General. I am sure that their petition will get tossed out today. Julie will remain in your custody." Julian explains.

Five minutes later we proceed into the courtroom. Julian and I sit in the waiting area, on the right side while the Martines and their attorney sit on the left side. The courtroom is small, with five rows of seats in two small aisles. Each half holds about eight chairs. The tables in the front have four chairs behind them, one side for the petitioner and one side for the respondent. The building that houses the court is new, so the floors are mark-free and the furniture is unscarred. There are tinted windows along the right side of the courtroom, which allows some natural light to enter. Finally, the bailiff calls our case forward. We move to the two tables in front of the judge. As she enters the courtroom, we stand.

"Please be seated." Judge Whitmore orders. We all comply. "I have in front of me a petition from Mrs. Rachel Martine and her husband, Ron Martine, to regain custody of her sixteen-year-old daughter Julie from her father, Ricardo Carlos Manoso. Is that correct?"

The attorney sitting with Rachel stands to address the judge. "Yes, Your Honor. My client Rachel, Julie's mother, had sole residential custody of her daughter from birth until this past November. At that time, Mr. Manoso petitioned the court for full custody of the daughter he gave up for adoption, who was subsequently adopted by Rachel's husband, Ron; claiming neglect on the part of the Martines." He paused before he continued. "Up until Julie's change in custody, her name was Julie Martine. She only legally changed her last name to Manoso two months ago."

"Mr. Goldberg, what is Mrs. Martine's reason to regain custody of Julie?"

"We have discovered that Mr. Manoso's wife, Stephanie Manoso, nee Plum, is mentally unstable. Both her sister is currently institutionalized and no longer has custody of her three daughters. Also, Mrs. Manoso was in a mental hospital for six months after her divorce from her first husband. She tried to kill him after causing her own abortion by throwing herself down the stairs of their home."

"Do you have any evidence to support these allegations?" Judge Whitmore asks.

"Yes. We have the documentation here." He shows the judge the paperwork.

"Mr. Cruz, do you have anything to say at this time?"

"Yes, Your Honor. Firstly, Mrs. Manoso was never in a mental institution. Secondly, she has never been pregnant until this past August, when she and her husband, Mr. Manoso, conceived their first child. She is currently in New Jersey, where their home is because her doctor does not want her to travel. She is 32 weeks pregnant. Additionally, Mr. and Mrs. Manoso have custody of Mrs. Manoso's nieces, Angie and Mary Alice. They all live together with Julie."

"So, there are three children, plus you and your wife living in a home with one more on the way? How many bedrooms does the home have?"

"Your Honor, Mr. Manoso is the owner of a very prominent, successful security firm with offices in Trenton, New Jersey; Boston, Massachusetts; and here in Miami. He lives on an estate in New Jersey. All three girls have their own room; with a nursery set up for the baby. He still has four guest rooms available. Mr. Manoso has a full-time, live-in housekeeper who lives in a cottage on the property. She is a widowed, retired restauranteur."

"What is the name of his security company, Mr. Cruz?"

"Rangeman."

"So please explain why Julie is better off living with the man who gave up his paternity rights?"

"Your Honor, Mr. Manoso is not proud of decisions he made when he was twenty-one years old. He was just out of basic training, being recruited to join the elite Army Rangers. He never intended to be in a long-term relationship, nor was he planning on starting a family. He married Mrs. Martine and they stayed together until Julie was almost a year old. They both decided that his Army career and their lack of a strong relationship was a hindrance to being happily married. When Rachel and Ron became engaged, Ron expressed an interest in adopting Julie. Mr. Manoso, at that time, spent ten to eleven months out of the year deployed overseas. He felt that Mr. Martine would provide Julie with a stable, healthy family environment. Even though he gave up his paternal rights to Julie, he still provided the Martines with child support above and beyond the amount mandated by law. Another reason why he agreed to Mr. Martine adopting Julie was because of the enemies he made during his career as a Ranger. Several years back, Julie was kidnapped partially because of an enemy he made named Scrog. At that time, his current wife, Stephanie Manoso, put her life on the line to save Julie's life. Mrs. Manoso and Carlos had only known each other for a year, but she didn't hesitate to help him or his daughter. She would occasionally work with Mr. Manoso through his company Rangeman, though her primary employment was Vincent Plum's Bail Bond Agency. During Mr. Manoso's last mission with the government, he was kidnapped and presumed dead. He was gone for three years before he made it home again. Once he returned, the person who kidnapped him, Robert Dalton, was once again targeting Mr. Manoso. He spoke to Rachel and she agreed to temporarily give him custody of Julie, so he could keep her safe. It was during this time that Mr. Manoso discovered that Mrs. Martine was not using the money he sent for Julie for his daughter, but rather for Mrs. Martine's other two children and herself. Julie stated that she wasn't loved and would prefer to live with her father and his fiancé at the time, Stephanie. The court granted Mr. Manoso, his now wife, full residential custody in November. He declined the child support payment that Mrs. Martine was ordered to give him."

"Is Julie happy in New Jersey?" the judge asked.

"Yes, she is happy to be part of a large, loving family. However, there is more to this story. A couple of days ago, Robert Dalton attempted to gain access to Mr. Manoso's estate while the girls were in school and Mrs. Manoso was home alone. She called their partners in the New Jersey office, who went to the home. Mr. Dalton opened fire, which led to his death. Since then, Mr. Manoso has discovered that a high ranking General conspired with Mr. Dalton to kill him. This General met with Rachel and Ron yesterday, on a beach. Mr. Manoso witnessed the meeting between the three individuals as well as saw the General hand over the falsified documentation on Mrs. Manoso. He also has audio and video of the meeting."

"Your Honor, my clients were unaware that Mr. Manoso was monitoring their private conversations. My clients did not consent to audio or video recordings." Mr. Goldberg stated.

"Judge Whitmore, Rachel and Ron signed documentation ten years ago which allowed Rangeman security to track their movements and monitor their communications until Julie could no longer be considered a dependent to either Rachel or Mr. Manoso. This documentation did not limit this ability to monitor the family when Julie was in their custody. This document gave Rangeman permission to obtain this recording."

"Mr. Cruz, I would like to see the documentation." Julian brings the document up to the judge. She reads it over and speaks to Mr. Goldberg. "The recording was obtained legally. I will watch and listen to it, but before I do, is there anything your client would like to say?"

Mr. Goldberg briefly spoke to Ron and Rachel before replying, "No, your Honor." Judge Whitmore had the bailiff set up a computer for the entire courtroom to see the video. As the video played on, I noticed Rachel turn pale. When it ended, Judge Whitmore looked like she was about to strangle Rachel.

"Mr. and Mrs. Martine, what I have just witnessed on this recording is disgraceful. You chose to conspire with a crooked man to kill your daughter and set up her father for her murder and death. How can you call yourself a mother? Also, you knowingly brought forged documents into my courtroom to discredit an honest, hardworking woman because you are jealous that she is married to your daughter's father. You make me sick. Bailiff, please take the Martines into custody. Call Miami PD so that Mr. Manoso can press the appropriate charges against the Martines. Mr. Manoso, I rescind Mrs. Martine's petition for custody. You will continue to have full residential and legal custody of Julie Manoso. Have a good day, sir, and thank you for your service."

With that, the judge stood up and left the courtroom. I shook Julian's hand. "Carlos, I'll take care of Miami PD on your behalf. General Myers is in custody. Get back to Jersey and your wife before Tank has a chance to find out what happened here."

"Thanks, Julian. I knew I could count on you." On that note, I leave the courthouse and head to the private airstrip outside of Miami where I'll take the Rangeman jet to New Jersey. Babe, I'm coming home.

XXXXXX

 **Author's Note: Thank you for all your reviews. I try to respond to all of you, but sometimes I forget. I tend to read the reviews on my phone and can't type fast enough. We're getting closer to the conclusion, and I can't wait. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Once again, thanks to my awesome Beta for catching my mistakes.**


	18. Now What?

**The characters are JE's, I'm just playing. MILD smut warning. Language warning.**

 **Chapter 18-Now What?**

 **Ranger's POV**

I am relieved that his whole mess with Rachel is finally over. She will never have custody of Julie again, so my daughter will be safe from her mother. Now, I need to figure out a way to explain what happened to Julie. Explaining what happened is not a conversation that I want to have with her. Fortunately, she is old enough and smart enough to comprehend the situation. I feel bad for Rachel's other two children. The boy and girl are too young to understand what their parents were doing. I know that Ron's sister is a stable woman who can provide for them. I will offer to help her financially with the kids if she needs it, within reason. However, she is a teacher and her husband is a doctor, so they should be fine.

Sitting on my private jet is a relaxing experience. I get to do work, sleep, or just think. Right now, I'm thinking about Tank. I don't understand when he decided that I was someone he needed to take out. I don't understand what his motivation was to betray not only me but the rest of my family; my Rangeman family. For years, since we met on that first deployment, he became closer to me than my brother. Lester is the only one who I considered more than a true brother, but we do share Manoso blood. I'm glad that Marco had the sense to call Lester and give him the heads up. I wasn't even thinking about Stephanie and her potential danger. I'm just confused. I can't believe that I didn't see the signs. I mean, I don't think that anyone of us saw this coming.

About a week after I returned from the dead, Bobby, Lester and I met to discuss Stephanie's role in the company. I was surprised that Tank wasn't there, but apparently, he had some big meeting to attend.

 _"Ranger, you wouldn't believe what an asset Bomber has been since she fully came back to work here. She's amazing. We're glad that you gave her part of the business because she's earning her share ten-fold." Bobby told me._

 _"She's amazing. Steph has been handling the payroll, schedule and reimbursements for us. Also, she meets with our clients regularly. The clients love working with her. She can wine and dine them better than you ever could." Lester added._

 _"I always knew that she could be doing much more for Rangeman than searches. I'm glad she finally realized that she was capable of more than searches. Does she still go after skips?"_

 _Lester quickly answered, "No, she gave that up before she left for California. She said that you were too much in her head; she couldn't concentrate. Stephanie didn't want to put herself or someone else in danger because she wasn't focused enough."_

 _"What is the bottom line?"_

 _Bobby responded. "Since Bomber started as the Client Relation Supervisor we are up 175%. Our clients have been renewing the contracts with upgrades that Stephanie recommends. She visits the client location with Hector or someone from his team about two weeks before she meets the client to suggest any changes or upgrades. Even our cheapest, most difficult clients agree to more services after Stephanie meets with them. I've never seen anyone work her magic before."_

 _"Beautiful has the schedules finished in a quarter of the time it used to take Tank to do them; rarely making any mistakes. Since she's been scheduling the guys, there are almost no complaints."_

 _At that moment, we heard a knock before the door opened, revealing Stephanie. She entered Lester's office looking confused. I couldn't help to check her out. She was wearing a lilac pantsuit. The pants were form-fitting before opening a little wider at the ankles. The jacket had two buttons which were left open, showing off her violet lace-edged camisole. The lace highlighted her breasts nicely. On her feet, she was wearing four-inch violet FMPs. Her hair was down in beautiful, soft curls. I felt my pants get tighter just from looking at her. Dios, how I missed this woman. I glanced at Lester; knowing that my cousin and I were probably sharing the same fantasy right now, of taking Stephanie on the desk, or against the wall._

 _Suddenly, she spoke up. "Did I miss a meeting? I didn't see anything scheduled on my calendar."_

 _"Babe, Lester and Bobby were just filling me in on your new role here at Rangeman. I am proud of you. You are doing a great job, making the company even more profitable than before. I knew you had it in you."_

 _She blushed and looked down, while a small smile forced its way on her face. "Thanks. I love what I'm doing." I thought I was mistaken, but I could have sworn I saw the start of tears._

 _"What's up, Beautiful, did you need something?"_

 _"Actually, yes. Mr. Plinkerton, at Plinkerton, Rodgers, and Miller heard that you were back, Ranger. He wants you to come with me today for our contract negotiation. I tried to tell him that you weren't working full-time yet, but he refused to meet with me unless I bring you along."_

 _"When and where?" I ask._

 _"Today, 1300 at Rossini's." Stephanie informed me._

 _"I'll be there. What time do you want to leave?"_

 _"1230, I like getting there before the clients. It gives me time to get my papers together. It would be helpful for you to meet with me at noon to go over the specifics, so you are versed in our proposal."_

 _I look at my watch. It is 1100 hours. I have plenty of time to get ready and to meet with Stephanie beforehand. "How about I meet you in your office at 1130, that way, if I have any questions or concerns, we have an hour to address them before we leave."_

 _"Sounds good. See you then." Stephanie turns and leaves the office._

 _"Is that the way she dresses when she meets with our clients?"_

 _"Yes, that's her typical uniform. Sometimes she goes with a pencil skirt. I'm sure that's a factor in her success." Lester says with a laugh._

 _"How does Tank feel about her new title and job?" I ask._

 _"I'm not sure. Tank's thrilled at the success we're having, but, I have to be frank, Tank wasn't thrilled after hearing your Will." Bobby stated._

 _"He was livid that you left ten percent of your shares to Julie, Stephanie, and your parents. He felt that all your holdings of Rangeman belonged to us. While he could justify what you left to your parents and Julie, he couldn't justify Stephanie's share. When I told him that you were engaged, I thought he was going to blow a gasket. I think he was planning on contesting what you gave Stephanie." Explained Lester._

 _"How did you and Bobby feel about what I did?"_

 _"We have no problems. This company was your vision, you created it, hired us and built it from the ground up. It's your name, your reputation that is on the line. It wouldn't have mattered to us if you gave Stephanie your full share of Trenton. Her inheritance pushed her out of skip tracing, which made us all happy. She hasn't had a car blow up or her apartment vandalized since two weeks after your 'death.' I think that incident was her final straw; it's what pushed her to leave Trenton. She realized that she was financially stable, which allowed her to take the risk." Bobby elaborated._

 _"I'm glad then; I feel much better knowing that she's safe when she's out of the office," I reply. I look at my watch. I only have twenty minutes to get ready. I get up to leave the office. "Well, I better go get ready. It seems as though my vacation is over."_

 _When I knocked on Stephanie's door twenty-two minutes later, I was surprised. Stephanie was sitting at her desk with her jacket off, draped over the back. The camisole showed off her beautiful breasts and arms. She looked up at me, smiling slyly. "You're two minutes late, Mr. Manoso. You know that I don't tolerate tardiness." She teased._

 _"I'm sorry, Ms. Plum, for my tardiness. It won't happen again." I answer, playing along with my Babe._

 _"Sit." She points to one of the chairs in front of her desk. She gets up from behind her desk, locks her door and leans against her desk right in front of me. "What disciplinary action should I take? Hmm."_

 _I was wearing a black Armani suit that, of course, was perfectly tailor to fit my body. The light silver-gray shirt with black, gray, and white geometric tie finished off the look. I could tell immediately that she like my choice in attire. She pauses, then lets her eyes look over me from my face down to my feet, with her gaze pausing at my crotch. Before I realized what, she was doing, she was kneeling in front of me, rubbing her hand on my thighs towards my cock. My pants were getting tighter by the second. She let her hands lightly run over my bulge, before removing my belt. She unbuttoned my pants and pulled down the zipper, releasing my cock into her hands. She wrapped her fingers around me while gently rubbing up and down. She looked into my eyes before placing her mouth around it and sucking hard. I almost came on the spot. "Babe, not here, not now."_

 _"Are you sure?" She asked while continuing to service my throbbing member with her hands and tongue._

 _"Yes. No. Yes. Your office isn't the place. After lunch, we'll go home where you can continue from here." She continued to suck me and fuck me with her mouth. I heard a groan escape, even though I was trying to resist reacting. As I felt myself building for a release, she stopped, stood up and returned to her chair on the other side of her desk. "What are you doing, Babe?"_

 _"That's your punishment for being late. Don't be late again." She said with a smile._

 _"You're playing with fire, Babe." I responded while getting myself dressed. Damn this woman; I'm going to be sporting a hard-on for the rest of the afternoon. Payback will be a bitch for Stephanie. I'm thinking handcuffs and at least an hour of licking and sucking her before I allow her to have her first orgasm. I must stop thinking about her if I plan on being able to walk out of this office._

 _"Babe, on a serious note, I'm proud of you. You have done such great things with my company to make it even closer to my original vision." This time, I know I saw tears. "Are you okay? Why are you crying?" I get up, walk around to her side, pull her out of her chair before sitting and pulling her into my lap._

 _"Hearing you say that you're proud of me means everything. No one ever told me that they were proud of me until you. No one said those words to me since you left. I guess I just need to hear them from your lips."_

 _"I love you, Babe, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life."_

 _"Me too, Batman, me too." She replied._

Now that I think about it, that day should have been an indicator that Tank was not my friend. If he were, he would not have questioned to whom I left my portion of Rangeman. I followed our bylaws, but as CEO I could go against the bylaws if I chose. I probably should have. But how do we deal with him? I'm still concerned that he's going to get wind of what went down in Miami before we can contain and confront him. I can't let him get to Stephanie or Julie. I decide to call Stephanie.

 _"Carlos?"_ Stephanie responds when she answers her phone.

"Babe. How are you feeling?"

 _"Good. Does this mean you're on your way home?"_

"Yes, Querida, I'm on my way home."

 _"Head to Trenton when you land."_

"Why? What are you doing in Trenton? Who's with you?"

 _"I have a meeting with a potential client. It's for a co-op apartment building near City Hall. I just made the appointment this morning. I've been trying to get a meeting for weeks now."_ She told me.

Now my Spidey sense was going crazy. "Babe, what time is your meeting?"

 _"The meeting is scheduled for 1700. Hector is with me now. He'll accompany me to the meeting."_

"Where's Lester?"

 _"Carlos, Lester isn't going to be my bodyguard anymore."_

"Why? What happened?"

I hear her sigh before she continues. _"It's too hard for us to be thrown together so often. Lately, when we are stressed, we find ourselves slipping back into our relationship. We're too comfortable together, and Lester is having a hard time moving on. When everything gets settled, he's requesting a transfer to Miami for a year, starting in July. Dani will be moving with him. You need to allow him to keep his distance from me so he can have the life he deserves with Dani."_

I can't say that I'm surprised at that remark. I know that this has been tough on Lester, I just didn't realize that it was also hard for my Babe. "Will he be here for the baby?"

 _"Yes, they are planning on staying until July. He'll be here for his godchild's birth."_ She tells me.

"I'll okay the transfer and start to put the paperwork into play. I have to figure out who's going to replace Lester, though, he's part of the core team."

 _"No one will. We'll just redistribute Lester's jobs amongst us."_

"Babe, we'll be down three members, not one." I try to remind her subtly.

 _"Carlos, we'll talk about it later with Bobby and Lester,"_ Stephanie said firmly.

"Okay Babe, I'll see you soon. Be careful. I don't like the idea of this meeting suddenly happening. Did you contact them this morning or did they contact you?"

 _"They called me. Why? You think this is a set-up?"_

"I don't know; something just seems fishy."

 _Then I won't go. I'll call and cancel. I can reschedule for another time. I'll have Hector call to tell my contact that I'm sick."_

"Thanks, Babe." I hang up the phone. I know that when I hang up without saying goodbye, Stephanie gets annoyed. It's small of me, but I can't help annoying her sometimes.

 **Stephanie's POV**

"Hector, we have a change of plans. We are canceling the meeting. Ranger has a funny feeling and my Spidey sense is on full alert. I think we should reschedule."

"Estefania, you think Tank behind meeting?"

"Si, hermano." I reply.

"No comprendo. Ranger and Tank are brothers. I still don't get it."

"I know. It is confusing. I don't understand why Tank hates Ranger so much and why he hates me. What did I ever do to him? I mean, I've made us so much more money, he should be grateful."

"Si, Angelita. Let's go to Bobby's house. Haywood not safe for you until Ranger returns. Let Bobby know."

I call Bobby and let him know that Hector and I are going to his penthouse apartment. He clears us to enter, assuring us that he and Lester will join us as soon as they pick up Ranger from the airport.

I start to think back on my relationship with Tank. One day stands out to me; it was a day about a week before I left for California, two days after the reading of Ranger's Will. It was just the two of us.

 _"Stephanie, what do you plan on doing with your partnership in Rangeman? Are you going to work here?" Tank asked me._

 _"I don't know, Tank," I said with a sigh. "It is still too soon; I'm having difficulty being in this building. I feel Ranger around me everywhere, but he's not here. There are too many mornings when I don't want to wake up." I admit to him._

 _"Well, given everything that is going on, your state of mind and your lack of experience in anything other than searches, I think it's best that you just keep skip chasing and let us run Rangeman. Unless, of course, you want to sell me your shares." He stated._

 _I was confused by why he wanted me to sell him my shares. According to Ranger's Will, I couldn't sell my shares for ten years or until I married, whichever came first. Considering that I'm mourning the loss of my fiancé, marriage was out of the questions. "Tank, even if I wanted to, I couldn't sell my shares for ten years. It's part of the stipulation."_

 _"Look, little girl, the rest of the core team can override that stipulation if you want to sell them. Just knowing that you own part of his company and can't do anything to help it has to be overwhelming."_

 _"Hey, that's not fair. I may not be a security expert, but I have a background in budgeting and scheduling. When I was a buyer for EE Martin, I had to write my budget and schedule my assistants. I could do things around here that don't involve security, more than just doing searches."_

 _"Stephanie, we don't need your help. We run a well-oiled ship. You would just disturb what is already working." Tank replied._

 _I was shocked by the verbal slap in the face. Apparently, Tank thinks I'm incompetent, that the only reason Ranger hired me was because I was his girlfriend. I thought that I would be safe here, that I'd always have a job here, with my brothers and friends. However, it is clear that I'm not wanted, I'm truly only 'entertainment.' "You know what, Tank, I think I need a change of scenery. Maybe I'll move to San Diego. It's a beautiful city with great weather. I'd be able to start my life over, away from Ranger's ghost. With my inheritance and being a partner in Rangeman, I'll never need to work again, so I'll have time to establish myself there. I won't be forced to work at a job that I hate."_

 _"I think that's a wonderful idea, Steph. I'll go with you to help you get settled."_

 _"No need. I'll ask Joe. I'm sure if not himself, one of his friends or family members will go with me. Hell, there may even be Morelli clan in California." I told Tank while trying to keep the hurt hidden. I thought my brothers loved me for me, but it's clear they only dealt with me for Ranger's benefit and their health. I feel so betrayed._

 _"You know, Steph, if you ever need anything, just call the control room." Tank said before I left his office for the last time._

I haven't thought about that day in a long time. His reaction was quite the opposite of Lester and Bobby's reactions. I thought that both of them were going to kidnap me or lock me in a holding cell to keep me here in Trenton, but, they finally relented. Bobby understood, but Lester took it hard. I now understand why he reacted the way he did, but I didn't understand at the time. I still don't understand how none of us saw the changes in Tank. I need to ask about when Tank first suggested taking over Ranger's penthouse, my penthouse, our penthouse. Bobby and Lester always told me that the penthouse would be mine until I decided I didn't want it anymore, but when I returned it was in the middle of renovations for Tank to live. When was that decision made and who made it? Now that I'm thinking about it, where is the safe? I had some of my papers in there, along with the sonogram, the sonogram of the baby I lost when I was twelve weeks pregnant. No one knows about my baby. Ranger was gone a month when I realized I was pregnant. I went to my doctor for my annual check-up when he told me I was seven weeks along. I was waiting until I was sixteen weeks to tell everyone, but then I had that crazy skip, Martin DePont. He was coming with me without a problem until he got to the station. He saw Big Dog and for some reason, he went crazy and pushed me. I fell hard against the railing of the stairs and flipped over. The impact was enough for me to miscarry. I hope Tank didn't get rid of the safe or figure out how to get it open.

"Hector, can you run a search on Tank without him knowing? Finding out everything he's been doing for that last four years?" I ask my best friend.

"Of course, Estefania. Anything for you." About five minutes later, we arrive at Bobby's building. Hector parks the car in Bobby's guest spot. We get out of the car, walk to the elevator and into his penthouse. Once we arrive, our fobs work to get us into his home.

"Hey, I didn't think I would beat you here." Bobby said when he saw us.

"Well, we hit some traffic," I reply. "Bobby, when did you guys decide to renovate seven?"

"We didn't. Lester had gone to visit you in California. Meanwhile, I was called away to Miami for a week to help train the new medic. When Lester and I returned, we found that Tank had ordered the penthouse gutted. The penthouse was his. He told us we had no say in what he chose to do with the penthouse."

"So, he demolished it without permission of the core team?" I reply, shocked at what I heard.

"Yes. When Lester and I returned, there was nothing we could do about it. However, he did try to get into Ranger's safe. I had it moved out of Haywood when he went out to meet with a client. He didn't know I took it. I have it in my closet, why, Bomber?"

"I had some papers in there, some personal items that I value, but they don't have any value to anyone else. I just wanted to make sure I could get them."

"Do you want to open the safe now or should I send it to your home?" Bobby asks.

"I'll take out my papers. There isn't a lot. I'm just going to wait until Ranger gets here if that's okay with you."

"Steph, if it weren't okay with me, you wouldn't be here." I smile at my good friend before threatening to help with dinner.

"Oh no, Bomber, get away from the kitchen. You'll light my apartment on fire."

"Estefania, please no cook. I don't want sick." Hector added before he took off for the living room to start his search on Tank.

"You men are hopeless!" I exclaim while laughing. "Hey, I thought that you were going with Lester to get Carlos."

"I was supposed to, but Lester wanted to talk to Ranger one on one. So, he asked me to come straight here."

"Bobby, did Tank ever tell you that he asked me to sell my shares in Rangeman?"

"No, Bomber, he never said anything. When did he do that?"

"Right before I left for California. He treated me so cruelly, which is why I didn't want you or Lester coming with me to help. That's why I asked Morelli to help me instead."

"I'm sorry I never saw any of this. I would never have left Tank bully you." Bobby responds.

"I know that now."

We heard a commotion at the door and I knew the Carlos was here. The door opens and in walks Carlos and Lester, all smiles. Carlos enters the apartment and gives me a huge hug and kiss. Bobby and Lester told us to get a room already. Hector threatened Carlos with a knife if he didn't leave his very pregnant wife alone for five minutes.

"Bobby, in which room is the safe?" I ask him.

"In the guest bedroom closet, Bomber."

I take Carlos's hand to make him follow me to the bedroom. When we enter I close the door behind us. I open the closet door to see the safe sitting on the floor. I sit down criss-cross on the floor to open the safe. I pull out the sonogram picture and I show it to Carlos. "I was pregnant when you left on that last mission. I didn't find out until after you were incommunicado. At twelve weeks, I took in a skip. Everything was going great until I arrived at TPD. My skip saw Big Dog and freaked out as we entered the station. I got pushed over the railing and landed on the parking lot. I miscarried that night. No one knows about that baby. Losing that baby destroyed me. However, I got over the loss because I believed that when you returned, I would ask you if we could actively try to have a baby. I knew that you would give me a child. When we found out the news of your death, I started to dream of you and this baby that I never met, that you were holding our baby in your arms together in heaven. I would wake up hysterical that you got to meet our child, to watch our child grow up in heaven and I never would. I would only be able to meet that child as an adult. That is one of the reasons I left Trenton. I couldn't stand being around Valerie and my nieces, or Mary Lou and her boys. I was angry and jealous that they had the children they wanted. I finally had my baby, but I lost the baby because I was stupid and incompetent. The only reason why I stayed with Vinnie after was because I had nothing to lose. I didn't care if I got shot or killed because then I would be with you and the baby."

Carlos looked at the sonogram picture and touched the image. I saw tears in his eyes before he spoke to me. "Babe, I'm sorry that I wasn't here for you when you found out. I am sorry that this baby didn't survive. I would love to see what a three-year-old Stephanie clone looked like. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I wanted to find the sonogram picture first."

"This safe was in the penthouse when Tank started renovating?"

"Yes."

"Is anything missing?" Carlos asks concerned. I didn't even check, so I started to remove the items one-by-one.

"All of my stuff is here. What about yours, Carlos?" I ask

"I have all my stuff accounted for in the safe. I'm glad Tank couldn't get through the code." Carlos responds. "Are you sure you're okay about the miscarriage?"

"Yes. It took me time, but I got over it. It's easier now that I'm almost due with this little one." With that, I start to feel the baby kicking and punching me. I grab Carlos's hand. "Feel. Our baby is active right now. I guess the munchkin missed Daddy." With one hand feeling our baby kick, Carlos takes his other hand and places around my back to pull me in for a kiss. We kiss soft and tenderly, sharing our love for each other in this kiss.

There is a knock on the door followed by Lester's voice, "Hey, lovebirds, get out here before you ruin dinner. It's 5:59. You have one minute." Carlos and I start laughing at Lester's impression of my mother. Carlos easily gets to his feet. Then, he helps me get to mine. "Ugh. I'm getting tired of the simplest task being so impossible to complete; for example, shaving is a major hassle, I can't sit or stand without assistance, while I can't go more than thirty minutes without needing to pee. When I do, it's about three drops. Being pregnant is exhausting."

Carlos laughs before giving me another kiss. "Only you, Babe."

 **Tank's POV**

Well, well, isn't that cozy. It seems like the core team is holding a meeting without me. They are all enjoying themselves at Bobby's penthouse while, as usual, I'm the only one working. It's bad enough that Stephanie is only working part-time. Half of her work is back on my desk. Ranger rarely does anything physical, especially as we get closer to the birth of the brat that Steph is carrying comes closer, so I get stuck doing the apprehensions. Lester is up Steph's ass, constantly "babysitting" her, so I get to do his job. The only one whose job I don't have to do is Bobby's. And now, they're having a party together. Fuck them. It's time I take out the wonderful Ranger Manoso once and for all. He's been a thorn in my side for too long. Stephanie has to go, too. With the fake Will I created, I will become the fifty percent partner in Trenton. Once Lester marries Dani, his share will go down to fifteen percent. I'll be able to push through whatever changes I want. Then, in about six months, I'll take care of Lester. Maybe I'll get him and Bobby together, I mean, they are a team.

The key to getting Ranger is to get Stephanie in a life and death situation. He will do anything to save her. Once I get them cornered in a remote location, I'll take them both out. I'll insist on being Ranger's backup and I'll kill them both. If anyone else interferes, I will take them out as well. I will be the owner of Rangeman. After all, I keep this place running when Ranger is off saving the world or fucking his whore.

I pick up my phone to dial one of my associates, Enriquez. He answers after two rings.

"Enriques, this is Tank. I need you to do me a favor."

 _"What's that?"_

"You need to lure Stephanie Manoso to an empty warehouse that you're renovating for an estimate on securing it. Tell her you will only meet with her and Ranger. If anyone else comes, you won't consider signing. You only deal with the owners."

 _"Okay, but it'll cost you a lot. Going after Manoso's woman is a death sentence if he finds out ahead of time."_ Enriquez responds.

"I'll take care of him. You won't have to worry. How much?"

 _"Two million. Non-negotiable."_

"Deal."

 **Enriquez's POV**

Fuck. There is no way that I'm going after Ranger. I don't care what Tank says; he isn't half as deadly as Ranger. But how do I warn him? Since his woman got knocked up, he doesn't come around the streets as often. When he does, he rides in like a bat out of Hell, keeps us all in line. But, I was never high enough on the food chain to have contact with him. But, I can contact Hector, mi hermano, once upon a time. Hopefully, he can intervene.

 **XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

 **Author's Note: The Batbaby won't make hes/her debut until Chapter 20, so now it's time to decide. Boy or girl? What about possible Batbaby names? Keep you comments and PM coming. They push me to continue writing. Thanks to JB, Bonnie and everyone else for your great reviews.**


	19. Tank's Demise

**Chapter 19—Tank's Demise**

 **Hector's POV (Remember, all internal dialogue is in Spanish)**

I am so glad that everything worked out for Julie. I would hate to see her removed from Ranger and Estefania, especially since Angie and Mary Alice are so attached to their big sister. I feel bad for her. At least she has Estefania who can help her overcome her horrible mother. As my Angel is clearing off the table, my cell rings. I check the caller ID. Once I see who's calling, I excuse myself.

"Hola" I respond when the call connects.

 _"Hola, mi hermano. Tengo algo de informacion para tu jefe." (I have some information for your boss.)_

I wonder what information he could have. Enriquez is not a big-time player. "Entonces, cual es la informacion?" (So. What's this information?)

 _"Alguien me pidio que montrara su puta." (Someone asked me to set up his whore.)_

"Te refieres a su esposa, no a su puta." (You mean his wife, not his whore.)

 _"Si, su esposa. Quieren que la atrae a ella y Ranger a un edificio para obtener una estimacion para que puedan atraparlos. El objective es matar Ranger y a cualquier otra persona que pueda interferer. (Yes, his wife. They want me to lure her and Ranger to a building for an estimate so they can trap her. The goal is to kill Ranger and whoever else may interfere.)_

"Quien?" (Who?)

 _"Tank."_

I immediately sit down. Tank wants to hurt Estefania and kill Ranger? What about her baby? Doesn't he care about that innocent life? I need to tell Ranger immediately.

"Hermano, mi jefe esta aqui. Hablaras con el?" (Brother, my boss is here. Will you talk to him?)

 _"Si."_ Enriquez responds. I walk into the dining room to tell Ranger about the call.

"Jefe, Enriquez quiere hablar contigo. El tiene informacion sobre Estefania." (Boss, Enriquez wants to talk to you. He has information about Estefania.)

Ranger takes the phone from me. "Talk."

 _"Ranger, I was approached by Tank. He wants me to lure your woman into a trap so he can kill you. I know your woman is carrying your kid. I don't like it when the innocent are hurt."_ Enriquez states.

"Bastardo! When does he want this to happen?"

 _"Whenever I can schedule you and your woman to do a walk through on a new property. I don't know who is working with him and how he plans on ambushing you, but I know he only wants the two of you to meet with me."_

"Okay. We're going to have to work together to solve this problem. How much?"

 _"Well, Tank is offering me a cool two."_

"I'll give you four."

 _"Deal. Tell me what to do."_

"Hector will get you to me for us to form a plan. Hector will meet you at your usual location in one hour. Talk to no one."

 _"You got it."_ Ranger hangs up my phone and turns to the room.

 **Ranger's POV**

I hang up Hector's phone. I turn around a look at my family in this room. I see that my Babe has correctly guessed that this call is about Tank and his plan. I need to keep her calm. She is too far along in her pregnancy and we need to make sure this baby is safe. "Bobby, we need to formulate a plan. In the living room or office?"

"The living room will be more comfortable. I'll go get my laptop." Bobby replies.

Lester, Hector, Stephanie and I all retreat to Bobby's living room. This room is perfect for our meeting. I sit on his large black leather sectional on the chaise side and pull Stephanie into my lap. I need to have her close to me, to feel our munchkin kicking and punching inside her womb. My head is clearer when she is in my arms because I know that she is one hundred percent safe. Hector takes a seat on the floor in front of the coffee table where he has his three laptops up and running. Lester sits in the black leather armchair across from Stephanie and me. When Bobby walks in, he joins Hector on the floor so he could add his laptop to the mix.

"I just got off the phone with Enriquez Ramirez. He had some intel for us. It seems that Tank reached out to him. Enriquez is going to call Stephanie to set up a meeting with her and me for a new security system. When we arrive at the building, we'll be walking into a trap. Tank's goal is to kill me, along with anyone else who gets in the way. Steph will be collateral damage."

"What the fuck! How can he do this to you and Beautiful? I mean, especially you, Steph, you've never done anything to hurt him." Lester exclaims.

"Lester, Tank doesn't like the fact that I am an owner in Rangeman. He doesn't feel that I am worthy to be an owner. In Tank's eyes, the only reason why I am even working here is first, because of my sexual relationship with Carlos, then as your woman, Lester."

"But you know that's not true, right?" Bobby asks.

"Yes. I know that you and Lester value me and my abilities."

"This is so fucked up. What is our plan, Boss?" Bobby looks at me.

"We trap Tank."

XXXXXXXXXX

A week has passed since we found out about Tank's plan. We just had to wait for the meeting to be scheduled with Steph. Finally, she comes into my office to tell me the good news. "I just got off the phone with owners of those new co-ops on State Street. They want us to do a walkthrough for a security contract. This contract could be worth a million by the time they're done building all the facilities. However, you need to come with me."

She knew that this call was the set-up, but we need to keep up the appearances that we know nothing. "When did you schedule the appointment?"

"We meet with them tomorrow at noon. Does that work for you? I looked at your calendar. I didn't see anything scheduled."

"That's perfect, Babe. I look forward to going. How about we cut out early after the meeting. Tomorrow is Friday so that we can start our weekend sooner."

"What a wonderful idea! I know we won't have too much more time until this munchkin is monopolizing all my free time."

"What type of building is it that we need to look at?" I ask.

"The first building is a large warehouse, which they are converting into a gym and meeting space for the residents of the co-ops. The other four buildings are apartment buildings."

"Are we going to tour the apartment buildings as well?"

"No, not at this time. The other buildings are just shells. The warehouse will be complete in a month. The building will house the base of operations for the entire complex until the permanent space is ready in one of the two towers. Once completed, we will look over the blueprints and develop the security plan for the four apartment towers."

"Okay. That sounds good. I think an hour is all we'll need for the meeting."

"That's what I thought. Nice to see we're on the same page." Stephanie responds. Before we head to the house, can we go to lunch as Rossini's?"

"It's a date, Babe. I love you."

"Love you too, Batman." Stephanie's eyes lit up when I agreed to take her out to lunch. She walks to me and kisses me. I pull her into my lap so I can deepen the kiss. Dios, I love this woman. Maybe we'll go down to our apartment on four for a couple of hours.

Tank walks in as I'm kissing my woman and clears his throat. When we stop, he says. "Did I hear Stephanie say that the Murphy brothers want us to look into securing their buildings?"

"Yes, you did. We have an appointment with the brothers tomorrow at noon." Stephanie says, barely containing her excitement.

"That's wonderful. Good work, Bomber. Do you need me to accompany you?" Tank responds.

"No, they insisted that I bring Ranger. I tried to explain that he no longer does preliminary walk-throughs. As you know, the customer is never wrong, so Ranger is coming with me."

"After the meeting, we're going to head out to Deal. Are you good to run Rangeman starting at about one-thirty tomorrow?"

"Yes. It'll be my honor." Tank replies. With that, he walks out of my office. I turn back to my wife to ask, "now, where were we?" As we continue our kiss from before.

 **Stephanie's POV**

Today is the day when this nightmare will end. I'm at my wit's end. I'm shocked I ever made it this far into my pregnancy with all the stress I've had to deal with between Dalton and Tank. I'm looking in my closet trying to figure what to wear that will hide the Kevlar that I'll be wearing. I'm still not convinced that we'll fool Tank. Carlos insists that all the players are on our side, but one never knows when you are dealing with the dregs of society. I just must trust my husband and my brothers to keep my munchkin and me safe today. I finally decide on a pair of black maternity pants with the full belly elastic and a large, baby doll top that covers my ass and baby bump perfectly. I'm wearing a pair of black sneakers since any other type of footwear doesn't fit me. I put my hair in a fancy twist, so it is out of the way and still professional looking. I must play the role. Ranger and I were heading to the meeting after stopping at the strip mall that we monitor to check on an error message. This strip mall gives us the perfect cover to 'dress' for the day.

We arrived at Rangeman at our usual time, 7:55. Ranger and I take the elevator up to five, where he escorts me to my office before proceeding to his. He kisses me before we part ways. I go to my desk to make sure that I have all the paperwork that I'll need in my purse, along with the hardware. I have three messages waiting for me, so I check them. The first is from a client we signed last week thanking us for our, "Welcome to Rangeman", package that includes some discount cards to other businesses we monitor. The second call is from my doctor confirming my appointment on Monday at 11 a.m., and the final call is from the Murphy brothers confirming our appointment today. As usual, I return the phone calls first. My next order of business is scheduling. I decided to complete the schedule for the next month in case I can't make it into Trenton. Finally, I call to confirm my appointment. I look at the clock; it is 10:30. We are leaving in thirty minutes. God, I hope everything goes according to plan.

Ranger arrives at my office to inform me that it's time to leave. I lock everything up. We are on our way to the elevator when Hector stops us. He hands me a box of TastyKakes. "Just in case you hungry before you at su casa."

"Gracias, hermano."

"De nada, Estefania."

I know that Hector did not give me a box of TastyKakes. He was giving Ranger and me intel that we didn't have before. I wait until we are ten minutes away from Haywood to open the box. Hector managed to place trackers on Tank personal car, work vehicle, as well as in his office and in the penthouse. Now, he can tell us if Tank is on the way.

We arrive at the strip mall where we 'get dressed' in one of the clothing stores. I hate that I need to wear a Kevlar vest, along with a Sig Sauer, a stun gun and pepper spray. At least Carlos doesn't make me carry a knife. Carlos, as part of his standard dress, is wearing a Kevlar vest under his black button-down Oxford shirt, a gun at his waist, another in an ankle holster and two knives; one hidden in his boot and I think the other is at his waist. Now we head to our rendezvous point. Hector informs us that Tank is on his way there and that he will beat us there. We need to be on the lookout for him.

Cal, Hal, Vince, Manny, Ramon and Binkie are already in the warehouse. Bobby and Lester are following us to the site. They are watching the special GPS that I'm wearing to know where we are at all times. My earrings have the GPS tracker embedded in them. Carlos thinks this is the safest location and the least likely tracker for me to lose or have taken off me. No one would think that a tracker would be in a pair of diamond stud earrings. I see the buildings in front of us. Carlos stops that car. He turns to me and pulls me on his lap, "Babe, remember, I love you with all my heart and soul. Tu eres mi vida, mi amor, mi Babe. No matter what may happen, you must keep yourself and our munchkin safe. And do not, I repeat, DO NOT, stand in front of a bullet meant for me. Your life and the life of our munchkin is much more valuable."

"I promise to keep me and munchkin safe, but you have to promise me the same. I don't want to raise our children without their dad."

"Babe? Children in plural?"

"I'm adding Julie, Angie, and Mary Alice; not to mention all the Merry Men. Don't do something to make Lester choose a life he doesn't want because he feels obligated."

"I promise Babe." We give each other one more kiss before heading into the unknown.

 **Tank's POV**

Good. The Manosos have arrived. I see them from my perch behind a window in the building on the second floor. Only a few more minutes until the great Ranger Manoso is dead, along with his whore and his unborn brat. Then, I'll go after Julie, but maybe I'll take her first. She's mighty pretty. I haven't had a virgin pussy in a long time. Ranger was never one to take the spoils of victory. He always commanded that we didn't participate in the after party, but I couldn't help myself. The battle leading to victory always made me horny. I'd take any available pussy, the younger, the better, but the girl had to, at least, appear to be sixteen. Julie Manoso would be a good fuck. She's feisty like Stephanie and strong like her father. Not to mention, she's a real looker. At 5'5", with her long, dark brown hair, deep onyx colored eyes, a decent rack, most likely a C-cup, she is the wet dream of many boys in her school. Maybe I'll fuck his whore before I kill her as well. However, pregnant women don't make my big soldier stand at attention. I mean, it's only fair that I see what about Stephanie's pussy is so great that she single-handedly had three alpha males pussy-whipped. Joe is STILL pussy-whipped even though he hasn't been with Stephanie in over four years.

The room that I'm in is spartan. There's a desk, a file cabinet and three chairs. It's the perfect place to wait out Ranger and Bomber. Up on the balcony, there are not many locations for other to provide coverage. Not that I need to worry. I've had my men, led by one of our Rangeman boys, waiting to ambush the couple upon entrance to the building. I see that they have reached the door; it pathetic how unaware of their surroundings they both are right now.

I hear some shots fired below. I knew that Ranger would kill a few people. That's fine. The fewer people to witness what will happen. I'm about to leave my hidey-hole when I feel the cold metal of three gun muzzles against my head. Fuck, I need to be more aware of my surroundings.

 **Lester's POV**

We arrive moments after Ranger and Stephanie arrive. Once there, we immediately take our positions. Ranger arranged for three teams to wait for Tank's arrival before they took out his men. Once Steph and Ranger arrive, we will simulate a shootout to relax Tank into thinking that Ranger is dead or wounded, looking for help. Bobby and I are backing up Ranger, while he opens the door to the room where Tank is while we all silently enter. We observe that Tank is obviously in his zone because he doesn't even realize we're standing beside him. I place my gun against his right temple, Bobby against the back of his head and Ranger against his left temple. Bobby slowly reaches around Tank to disarm him of the two guns and knife that we can see on his person. I know that he is packing more weapons somewhere, but they will be harder for him to reach.

"Looks like I beat you again, _Pierre_." Ranger taunts Tank.

"Fuck, man, how did you figure it out?" Tank replies, obviously annoyed, disappointed, angry and perplexed.

"It was a mistake to use Rachel and Ron. They have no idea on how to run an operation. They agreed to meet on a crowded Miami beach in plain sight where anyone could observe what was happening. I can't believe you wanted to sell mi hija into slavery. I can't believe you want to rape my wife and mi hija. Most of all, I can't believe you betrayed me."

I could see that Ranger's words were agitating Tank. That fact that Ranger seemed to know so much of the plan got under Tank's skin. Suddenly, he explodes, "Fuck you Manoso. The world doesn't revolve around you. You almost had me court-martialed. You almost got me kicked out the service. Why? Over some ass that you didn't get? Because there was a whore on this planet, who didn't wet her panties at the sight of you? You think you're God's gift, invincible, but you're not. Stephanie could be my woman. If I put any effort into it, she would be mine, but she's too fucking stupid, too fucking whiny and too fucking crazy. But, considering that she pussy-whipped you, Morelli and Santos, she must have a nice, tight pussy. I bet her ass is good too, huh, Carlos. Have you taken her in her ass yet? I know that's your favorite, but based on what Morelli said, she is a fucking prude."

"Why, Tank?" Ranger asks him.

"Why? Do you need to ask why? Don't you understand how you fucked everyone? In Ranger school, even when you were not in charge, you always took charge. You never would give anyone else an opportunity to succeed or beat you. Then, you always took on the worst possible missions and dragged your 'friends' into Hell with you. But, you never took me once we opened Rangeman. Suddenly, I was too valuable to go with you. If I left, who would run Rangeman? But Lester always got to go with you. Oh, that's right, because he's your number two, your real right-hand man. He's so up your ass. Tell me, does his cock feel good in your ass?" Tank paused before continuing. "Then, to add insult to injury, you change your Will to give MY part of Rangeman to your whore! She cost us millions of dollars in manhours, insurance premiums and cars. You made her your fiancé so she could take your place on the core team. Then, when you return, to protect your slut I am constantly being called into work. My private life goes down the drain so you can fuck your whore every night. She can't be that satisfying if you can't go a day or two without fucking. My Lula at least would leave me satiated for a few days."

I see the anger radiating off Ranger. I'm having difficulty controlling myself as well. How dare he call Beautiful a whore. As far as her abilities in the bedroom, she's a fucking wildcat. She's sexy as hell, especially when she's in a sex induced sleep with her wild hair out on the pillow, the after sex glow on her skin. Dios, just thinking about her gets me aroused.

Now that Tank is under control, Ranger shifts to stand in front of him. Bobby and I still are standing on his right and left sides. No one is behind him. Ranger finally responds.

"Stephanie is not a whore. She is the best person I have ever meet and deserves someone better than any of us mercenaries. But, she chooses to work with us and live with us because she sees something special inside each of us, our inner goodness. You are a fucking psychopath. I don't understand how you can find teenagers attractive, not eighteen-year-olds but fourteen and thirteen-year-olds. How many young girls have you fucked, how many have you ruined? Why do you think I never let you stay at my home with Julie? You think I don't know what you have planned for her? You were going to make her a sex slave to some sick bastard. I'm sure that you would fuck her first, right? Need to get rid of another virgin. At least Morelli fucked virgins that were within his age bracket. He has standards. So, Tank, I hope you enjoyed your dreams because I am sending you to Hell." With that statement, Ranger shoots Tank at point blank range between the eyes. Tank falls to the floor with a thud. The gun is wiped clean before Ranger holsters it. He picks up his cell phone to place the call. "Mission accomplished. Clean up crew needed. What's the ETA?"

After hearing what he liked, he said. "Affirmative," before hanging up again. As we are leaving, he turns to Binkie. "General Carlson says hello." Binkie pales, his eyes become huge like saucers. He tries to step back is but immediately surrounded by the Merry Men. Ranger has him cuffed and shackled in seconds. "Bobby, Lester, deliver Binkie to Fort Dix where the good General will deliver him to D. C. for his Court Martial. Just make sure he arrives there alive."

I watch Ranger walk out of the building to find Stephanie. I take a moment to punch Binkie in the nose while Bobby dislocates his shoulder. Each of the other Rangemen in the warehouse gives Binkie a present. By the time we leave with him, he has several broken bones and will most likely be impotent.

 **Stephanie's POV**

I follow Carlos into the warehouse, standing behind him. I hate that he is using his body to shield me, but I know that he must because he needs to protect me and our munchkin. Upon our entrance, Cal pulls me into a small alcove to the right of the door where he stands guard over me. I have to wait here until we get word that Bobby, Lester and Ranger have successfully cornered Tank. When we receive the word, Cal and Hal usher me back to the Cayenne. They tell me there's another Rangeman who has been helping Tank. I am not sure who it could be because we are such a big family. When they tell me who the traitor is, I'm shocked. Binkie seems like such a nice, sweet man, but he is monster. He's one of the younger Merry Men. Cal tells me that he was asked to leave the Army after being accused of raping ten different underage girls on various missions, all while serving under Tank. He was hired by Tank, with his record never making its way to Ranger's desk. I got chills just thinking about how cruel Tank and Binkie are, which I would never have guessed. After what seemed like hours, but was only ten minutes, Ranger comes walking out of the building, unscathed, directly to me. He reaches the car, puts his arms around me while giving me a kiss that makes my legs weak and my mind go blank, with heat soaring throughout my body. Damn, can my husband kiss or can he kiss?

"Come on Babe, time to go home."

"Tank?" I ask

"Out of the picture, permanently."

"Binkie?"

"The US Army will take custody of Binkie. He won't bother us ever again."

Ranger opens the door to the Cayenne and helps me into the car. Once I'm buckled in, he kisses me before closing the door to get in on his side. We start the drive to our home, to be with our daughters. The fact that Tank is dead, thanks to Carlos, is a relief, even though I can't help to feel sad. Ranger, Bobby, Lester, and Tank were together for so long, and in many ways are closer than brothers. I can't imagine how they all must be feeling at this time. I couldn't even fathom what it would be like to put a bullet in Mary Lou or Connie, but then I think of the way Lula betrayed me. I know that, if left with no other choice, I could kill her like Carlos killed Tank.

XXXXXXXXXX

It wasn't until three weeks later when Trenton PD received a missing person's report that the repercussions of Tank's demise were realized. Apparently, Lula had her friend Jackie file a report when Tank didn't show up for any of his visits with her. However, I didn't need to be worried. Ranger, Bobby, and Lester had everything covered and fixed. That was an advantage to being one of the top Special Forces teams; ABC agencies bent over backward to accommodate the team. Ranger had paperwork from some agency that Tank was out of the country on some secret mission. He told me that in a few weeks, they would receive word that he did not make it out alive and his body would be sent back to Trenton for burial. The paperwork was enough to have the TPD back down and no further questions asked. Binkie was given 75 years of hard labor in a military prison somewhere in the States.

Now, we just were waiting for this Batbaby to decide to join us.

"Babe, are you okay?" Ranger asked as he pulled me against him, my back to his front, with his hands resting on our munchkin. I finally hit the thirty-six-week mark, which meant that whenever this baby decided to join us, it would happen.

"Yeah. I'm good. I'm just thinking about how much has changed since this time last year. I mean, Lester and I were dating and talking marriage. You were dead. Julie was living in Miami with Rachel and Ron; my father was alive. Mary Alice and Angie were with Lisa, Val and Albert. Now, it seems that Valerie will spend the rest of her life in a mental institution, Albert decided to relocate to Boston with Lisa, where some of his cousins live." Ranger offered him a job as his lawyer in charge of writing contracts. Albert accepted the offer; he would have been a fool not to because he's making more money than he would have in private practice. "We have managed to obtain three daughters while waiting for our munchkin to be born. Now, Lester will be moving to Miami with Dani in July."

"It's crazy how much our lives have changed. By the way, we still haven't figured out how to run Trenton. Come July; it's only going to be Bobby and me running Trenton. You'll still be out on maternity, Lester will be in Miami and Tank is out of the picture."

"I told you, Carlos, you don't need to worry. Make Hector a core team member. He can take over some of Lester's and Tank's responsibility. For the rest, you need to elevate Cal. The guys respect him almost as much as they respect the core team. He has a quiet way of leading them."

"Proud of you, Babe. You have nailed Cal. I don't think I would have considered him, but you are right. At Monday's meeting, I want you to recommend Hector and Cal. If Bobby and Lester agree, we'll promote them both."

"Carlos, what happens when Lester decides to return to Trenton in a year. Will he still be a core member?"

"Yes, Babe, he will be. We'll just restructure the responsibilities. You may need to cut down even more."

"Why would I have to cut down my hours more, Mr. Manoso?" I ask with a sly smile.

"Well, Mrs. Manoso, I am hoping that we will be expecting our second Batbaby."

I just stare at my husband. I'm shocked at what he said. "You want another child? I haven't even given birth to THIS baby yet! Four children aren't enough for you?"

He laughs at me while turning me around, so I'm facing him. He gently lifts me up and sits me on the counter. "Babe, we will only have one child that is biologically ours and whether this munchkin here is a boy or a girl, I would like at least one of each with you. I want nothing more than to watch a mini-Stephanie grow up, with your wild curls and beautiful, mesmerizing blue eyes. I know that you would love a mini-me, full of attitude and swagger."

"Carlos, I love you. Believe it or not, I'm no longer afraid that I won't be a good mother. I know I'll be a great mother. I would also like to have at least two children with you, and yes, I want a mini-Carlos, with your silky smooth dark brown hair, serious and gorgeous milk chocolate eyes." Ranger leans into me to kiss me. We start off gentle, loving, and tender, but quickly it turns hot and heavy. I pull away. "I'm sorry. We can't go on. It'll be torture."

"I know, Babe. I still love you, though." Ranger says. "I'm going to go take a cold shower."

We haven't had sex in a week. I've been having issues with sciatica lately and cannot get comfortable enough to have sex. Ranger is understanding and we have been celibate, but it's been hard to keep up. We both want each other desperately.

Mother's Day is a week and a half away. I am trying to figure out how to celebrate this day. I'm not sure if the girls even want to celebrate Mother's Day, considering the events of the last six months. I express my concerns to Carlos. He decides to invite over his family on Mother's Day, so we can celebrate the woman in our lives who are good mothers and role models. I agree that it's a great idea. Marisa considers herself a grandmother to Angie and Mary Alice, even though we are just their guardians. All of Carlos's sisters fawn over the girls, truly showing them what it is like to have a loving, supportive and caring family.

I talk with Lily and Ella to plan our menu for Mother's Day. I don't want Marisa or my sisters-in-law to do any cooking or baking. It is the day that we are honoring them. Lily and Ella want me to sit out the preparations for the day, considering my condition, but I refuse to do that to them. I am not a mother yet, at least not a biological mother so I will help.

That morning, I wake up to a beautiful day. The sun is shining while it's unseasonably warm for May 11th in Trenton with an unexpected 95-degree day. Carlos is already out of bed, which I'm not surprised considering that it's after nine. I roll onto my side, swing my legs off the bed while slowly pushing my upper body up into a sitting position to get out of bed so I can answer the call of nature. I take a quick shower and decide to wear my hair naturally curly and crazy for the day in a ponytail. I put on a baby blue maternity wrap-style dress and white sneakers. When I arrive in the kitchen, I find my girls waiting with pancakes, bacon, hash browns and orange juice for me. There's a huge banner on the wall that says, "will you adopt us and become our mom?" I am overwhelmed by their sentiment and give them hugs and kisses.

"You all want me to adopt you? You want to be my daughters?"

"Yes!" They cry in unison. "Mary Alice and I want Ranger to be our dad as well."

I see Carlos's eyes show pride as he accepts their request. "I'll work on getting the paperwork together. I'm not sure how long it will take, but I'm honored you want me to be your father." He kisses his daughters before helping me to my seat, so I can enjoy my breakfast. After I finish the delicious meal I get up to go to the bathroom when suddenly, I'm wet. Fuck! My water just broke.

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

 **Author's Note: There's still time to let your voice be heard. Will the Batbaby be a boy or a girl? As you can guess, the Batbaby will make their debut in Chapter 20. For all who have commented already, thank you for your opinions. One is definitely winning so far. I think that there will be two chapter left. The next one and an epilogue. Don't worry, there will be sequel, but not for at least another few months.**

 **Once again, thanks for all the reviews, I love getting them. It's my drug of choice! Shout out to Susan, my wonderful beta, who has been making my story more grammatically correct and readable. You're the best, Babe!**


	20. Family Matters

**Sadly, the characters still aren't mine, though I can dream. There is a warning for language, Stephanie's in labor. We all understand!**

 **Chapter 20 Family Matters**

 _I see Carlos's eyes show pride as he accepts their request. "I'll work on getting the paperwork together. I'm not sure how long it will take, but I'm honored you want me to be your father." He kisses his daughters before helping me to my seat so that I can enjoy my breakfast. After I finish the delicious meal, I get up to go to the bathroom when suddenly, I'm wet. Fuck! My water just broke._

 **Ranger's POV**

"Carlos, you need to get my bag and get the car ready. My water just broke. I'm going to take a shower." Stephanie informs me as she walks calmly towards the bathroom.

Is she going to take a shower? What the fuck is she thinking? Her water just broke! That means the baby is coming. I have to call Lily, Ella, my parents, Rangeman, Stephanie's doctor. Stephanie's doctor! What's his name? I can't even think straight. Is the number stored on my phone? Where does she keep his number? Julie is walking over to me with a smile on her face.

"Dad, I just called Dr. Travers. He said to bring Mom to the hospital when she's finished with her shower. It'll probably be a few hours before the baby is born. I also called Grandma. She's letting everyone else know. Lily and Ella are coming here, so that Mother's Day can continue as planned, hoping that Stephanie will be enjoying her first Mother's Day as a biological mother. Angie and Mary Alice are helping Mom get ready to leave. You need to get Mom's bag, your bag, then bring the car out front. Cayenne, not the Turbo." Julie watches the relief come over me as she stifles a laugh. "I can't believe it, my father, Mr. Calm, Cool and Collected just had a major meltdown. How the heck did you complete all those dangerous missions without breaking a sweat, but run around in circles at the birth of your baby?"

"Querida, we planned for every possible scenario with those missions. This baby is early. I didn't have a chance to run through all mission specs yet. That was on the schedule for tomorrow." I replied. My daughter started to laugh at me. When I thought about what I said, I could see the humor in the statement. Who was I kidding? With my Babe and our baby, what else am I to expect but the unexpected. Nothing would go according to any plan. I got our bags, then proceed to get the Cayenne. I park it in front of the house and wait outside the bedroom for Stephanie to emerge. Once the door opens, I lift her up to carry her to the car. I place her in the passenger seat, buckle her in, then close her door. "Julie, you're in charge until Grandma or Lily gets here. I'll keep you updated."

"With what phone, Dad?" Julie asks me. I look down on my belt only to find that my phone is missing. She walks over to me with the phone in her hand. I kiss her cheek. "Thank you, Querida."

I enter the driver's side and prepare to bring Stephanie to the hospital. When I look at her, she's laughing at me. "What's so funny, Babe?"

"You." She answers while trying to stifle her giggles. "I can't believe you are nervous and unfocused. I thought I'd never see you this way."

"It's not easy being the dad to be. All the responsibilities to get you to the hospital with everything you need on time relies on me. The birth of our baby is the most important mission I have ever been on, Babe."

Suddenly, Stephanie's eyes close while she grimaces. "Babe, are you okay?"

"Yes, Carlos. That was just a contraction. They're about two and a half minutes apart and are about thirty seconds long. I don't think we'll have to wait long."

"How do you know that, Babe?" Stephanie holds up a phone and says, "There's an app for that." I put my foot down on the gas pedal. The Monmouth County Medical Center isn't too far from our home, only about ten minutes away, but right now, it seems like it is on the other side of the country. I've never been this apprehensive before in my life.

 **Stephanie's POV**

"Carlos, relax. We'll be at the hospital in about three minutes. The baby isn't coming right away. It'll probably be a several hours before this munchkin is born."

"Babe, why do you refer to our child as a munchkin?"

"Because I like munchkins. Besides, I hate saying the baby or it or he/she. Munchkin is a gender-neutral term of endearment. I can't help that it's also a dessert." I respond with a laugh until the next cursed contraction hits. "Damn it. I hope I'm not too late for drugs!"

Ranger pulled in front of the entrance to the maternity wing where Hector was waiting. He helps me out of the car and places me in the wheelchair. Then, Hector takes the keys from Ranger to park the car. "Good luck, Estefania," Hector says as he drives away. Ranger wheels me into the hospital, right up to the admissions counter.

A bored nurse looks up, then asks. "What is your name and why are you here?"

What does she mean, why am I here? Isn't it obvious, I'm in fucking labor. Before I can respond, Carlos says, "Stephanie Manoso. She's here because her water broke."

"How far along are you?"

"Thirty-seven weeks, five days," Carlos replies.

Gone was the nervous, insecure Carlos, replaced by the calm, in control Ranger. The nurse responds, "Well, you are full term, so whenever this baby decides to make his/her debut, it will happen. I need you to fill out this paperwork. Once completed, you will stay in one of our pre-birth rooms. Once you are ten centimeters dilated, we will move you into a labor and delivery room." She hands Carlos a clipboard with about ten different forms for him to complete. Approximately ten minutes later, Carlos has the forms completed. Finally, I am moving into a room.

Here, a nurse enters the room. "My name is Rose. I will be your labor and delivery nurse. Right now, I'm going to hook up an IV line, take your vitals and the vitals of your baby by performing a non-stress test."

"What is a non-stress test?" I ask.

"It is when we hook the monitor up to determine the heart rate and to record your contractions. It's a noninvasive, safe way to monitor the baby during your pre-labor. If we see that the baby is in any distress, we can move to induce labor or decide that you need a C-section. Also, I will take a sonogram to ensure that the baby is in the proper position for a vaginal delivery. If the baby is in a breech position, you will deliver via C-section."

"Okay. That doesn't sound too bad." At that moment, I pause another contraction rips through my muscles. I squeeze Carlos's hand, hoping I don't break any of his fingers. The nurse hands me a gown while directing me to the bathroom in the room. "Why don't you get changed. I can help you if you need."

"No, Carlos will help me." With that, I stand up and walk to the bathroom. I pause once I get to the door to allow another contraction to pass. Carlos helps me out of my clothes, and I put the gown on. I begin walking back to the bed when once again, a contraction hits me.

"How far apart are the contractions, dear?" Rose asks.

"About 2-3 minutes."

"How long are they lasting?"

I look down at my phone to see before I respond, "Anywhere between 30 seconds and 1 minute."

"Oh, I guess I better get a doctor in here to do an exam. We need to figure out how dilated you are, to know if you can get an epidural or not."

Rose leaves the room and returns five minutes later with a resident. "Hello, Mrs. Manoso. My name is Dr. Rothstein. I am the ob/gyn resident. I will monitor your progress until your doctor arrives. I'm just going to perform a physical exam to determine your progression." Dr. Rothstein is about thirty, with long, straight blonde hair and emerald green eyes. She's about five-five, dressed in blue scrubs with a white lab coat. Dr. Rothstein must weigh about 110 pounds. She is beautiful. However, I have to give her credit for not checking out my husband. Rose, on the other hand, must be in her fifties. She has mousey brown hair that is shoulder length; wears round, blue-framed glasses over her brown eyes. She's about five-three and 140 pounds. They are both very gentle with me, which is making this uncomfortable experience more pleasant.

"Well, Mrs. Manoso, I have good news and bad news." Dr. Rothstein states. Bad news? What the fuck could be the bad news? I don't like the sound of bad news while I'm in labor. "The good news is that you are nine centimeters dilated. The bad news is that you cannot get an epidural at this point."

I groan. No epidural is not good. Everyone says the first child is NEVER early, that they take their time, and labor will be long and laborious. However, the Batbaby has to be different. Fuck me sideways. No, I take that back. Fucking is what got me into this predicament. Once again, I feel another contraction. This one is longer and more intense than any previous one. "Babe, you're doing great. The pain will be over soon."

"Carlos, the pain won't fucking end until this baby somehow makes its way through an opening that is not even ten percent of their size. Don't tell me about fucking pain."

Carlos looks taken aback. He doesn't quite know what to say. Rose takes pity on him. "Don't worry, Mr. Manoso, this is the normal reaction of a woman without drugs in labor. She'll be back to her normal self once the baby is in her arms." Rose has the sonogram machine to determine the baby's position. "Good news, Mrs. Manoso, the baby is head down. You can have a vaginal delivery. I'm going to hook you up for the non-stress test now to make sure the baby is okay."

I'm starting to get used to the contractions, well at least as used to them as one can get. I know their coming, so it isn't such a shock anymore. But, they still hurt like hell.

"Babe, what can I do for you?"

"You can learn to keep your fucking pants fucking zipped. I'm never fucking having another fucking baby. How the fuck did Mary Lou go through this multiple times? Why would any sane woman sign up for this fucking torture after experiencing it once?"

Rose laughs before she responds, "Stephanie, once you have your baby in your arms and experience the miracle of the life that grew inside you, you forget about the pain and discomfort. Bringing a new life into the world is well worth the pain. Besides, your husband will have to wait a while before you can resume sex after you give birth. Their 'labor pains' last much longer."

I look at Carlos to see him cringe. I picked up that Rose didn't give a time frame. I guess that means that she's giving me leeway to expand the time from the typical six weeks. Something to think about later. Suddenly, his phone rings.

"Hi, Mama."

 _"Carlos, come esta Stephanie? Llagara el bebe pronto?"_ (How is Stephanie? Will the baby arrive soon?)

"Ella es buena, nueve centimetros." (She's good, nine centimeters.)

 _"Estaremos alli en veinte minutos."_ (We will be there in twenty minutes.)

"No, Mama. Espera hasta que nazca el bebe, luego te invitamos a que te levantes. Todavia podria ser un tiempo." (No, Mama. Wait until the baby is born, then we will invite you up. It could still be awhile.)

 _"De acuerdo, mi hijo. Dale a Stephanie nuestro amor."_ (Okay, my son. Give Stephanie our love.)

"Si, Mama. Hablare contigo mas tarde." (Yes, Mama. Talk to you later.)

 _"Adios, mi hijo."_

Carlos hangs up the phone while turning towards me. "That was my mother. She wanted to come up here. I convinced her to stay at the house. She sends you her love."

Dr. Travers walks into the room with Dr. Rothstein. "Happy Mother's Day, Stephanie. It is an extra special day to become a mom for the first time. I'm going to check to see if you have progressed to ten centimeters yet." Dr. Travers settles himself between my legs to perform his examination. I know that Carlos isn't happy about seeing another man in that position, but this is my obstetrician.

"Well, it's time to head into the delivery room. You're ready, and it seems your baby is ready as well."

An orderly comes into the room to wheel me down the hall to one of the labor and delivery suites. This room has a television, a sleep chair and a bathroom with shower. It is a step up. The walls are a light blue, for serenity, with pine colored furniture. It looks more like a hotel room than a hospital room. I'm immediately more at ease. Rose and Dr. Rothstein get me set-up in the bed, with my feet in the stirrups. Any modesty that I had is long gone. I'm about as exposed as I could get; soon a baby will be exiting my body. It is still a creepy feeling.

My contractions are coming closer together and are lasting longer. Once I'm in position, I'm told to push with the contraction. I try, but I don't feel like anything is happening. "Stephanie, dear, push like you have to go to the bathroom. Use your rectal muscles."

I try to comply, but nothing seems to be working. About a half hour later, the air conditioning goes off when the fire alarm rings. I look to Carlos to see him in his zone. Rose must have sensed Carlos' change because she said. "Don't worry. It's just a false alarm. The two long beeps you heard gave the all-clear, but the a/c will be off until someone determines why the alarm went off."

You have got to be fucking kidding me. It's ninety-five fucking degree today, I'm in labor, without any a/c. Why me?

"Babe, you feel warm. Do you want some ice chips?"

"How cool do you think you would feel while try to push a bowling ball out of your body?"

"Babe." I could see that Carlos was trying not to laugh.

"Yes, some ice chips would be lovely." He places two in my mouth. They do make me feel better.

Rose then says. "Carlos, why don't you put a cold compress on her forehead?"

He immediately complies like a good soldier. I feel better now than I did twenty minutes ago, but I am still in excruciating pain. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. "Dr. Travers, I am DONE pushing. I want this baby out of me now. Make it happen."

"Stephanie, the only option right now is a C-section. You were adamant about having a vaginal delivery."

"Well, I've changed my mind. Make it happen, doc."

Dr. Travers looks at Rose and performs another examination. "It seems like the baby isn't as far in the birth canal as he or she should be at this time. Tell them to prep the OR, Rose."

Rose leaves the room for a moment and returns with the anesthesiologist. "Mrs. Manoso, I'm Dr. Gambino. I am your anesthesiologist. I'm going to give you a spinal to numb you from your diaphragm down. I will monitor you throughout the C-section. Mr. Manoso, you need to leave the room while I perform the spinal."

Carlos left, but he returned five minutes later thoroughly scrubbed in with yellow paper scrubs over clothes, a yellow cap on his head, gloves and a mask. I'm now wearing a cap over my hair as well. Having a spinal is the weirdest sensation ever. I felt the prick of the needle, warmth spreading through my lower body than absolutely nothing. I wasn't even able to bring my legs back onto the table without assistance. I'm feeling no pain, no contractions. Hallelujah!

 **Ranger's POV**

I just hung up the phone with my mother to inform her that Ricardo Carlos Manoso, III was born at 3:32 p.m. on Mother's Day, May 11th. He is 7 pounds, 13 ounces and nineteen inches long. I let her know that the family can come up to visit after seven. Stephanie is still recovering from the C-section. As a result, she is not allowed to hold our son yet. A son. I am so thrilled that Stephanie gave me a son. As much as I love the girls, especially my daughter, I'm ecstatic to have a boy. He has a thick head of dark brown hair that appears straight. His eyes are grayish blue, but that can change in the next few weeks. His skin is a little lighter than mine but much darker than his mother's. His resemblance to me is uncanny already. I have a mini-me. Stephanie is sleeping in recovery. I'm watching my son sleep in the nursery.

The nurse comes over to me to let me know that Stephanie will be in her private room in twenty minutes. I ask that once Stephanie is settled if the nurse can bring our son into the room. She agrees to do so for us. I see the orderly rolling Stephanie into the room. She is awake. I walk over to her, take her hand, and kiss it. "I'm proud of you, Babe. Our son is perfect, just like his mother."

"When will I get to hold him?" Stephanie asks the nurse.

"Once your son arrives in the room, you can hold him. Mr. Manoso, you will be the primary baby caregiver until tomorrow. Stephanie is not allowed to hold your son out of bed or a chair until the anesthesia is completely out of her system."

Oh no. I guess that means that I'll be changing diapers and who knows what else. I know it will be well worth it, though. About ten minutes later, a different nurse arrives with Baby Manoso. We haven't decided what to call him yet. We agree that Carlos is out, and being that everyone calls my dad Ricky or Ric, that name is out as well. "What about RC?" Stephanie asks me.

"I think that could work." I look at our son. RC works for him. I walk to the bassinet and pick him up. "Do you want to hold your son, Babe?"

"Yes, more than anything." I hand RC over to his mother and watch as tears fill her eyes. "Te quiero, mi hijo." I love hearing her talk in Spanish to our child. She kisses his head as he stares at his mother.

"When are the troops arriving?" She asks me.

"Sometime after seven."

"Good. Who will be RC's Godmother? Lester is already his Godfather."

"What about Mary Lou or Celia?" I suggest.

"I was thinking Dani. She already took care of Julie for us."

I pause to think of her as RC's godmother. I think she will be a good fit as well. "That's perfect. We'll ask them once they visit us."

 **Girls' POV**

The girls arrived at the hospital at seven o'clock with the rest of the Manoso clan. Marisa tried to keep her family for descending on Stephanie and Carlos, but everyone was too excited. They all felt that Stephanie deserved to have a memorable first Mother's Day. Julie was extra excited. She knew that her father was determined to be a better father to his son than he was to Julie. Julie didn't resent him; she understood that he wasn't able to be a father at that time. She was glad to have him in her life now when she truly needs him.

Angie and Mary Alice are thrilled to have a baby brother. Lisa was a wonderful sister, but a brother is an extra special gift. Mary Alice was particularly excited because she, herself, is such a tomboy. She knows that she'll be able to teach her brother how to play sports. Angie has always been the girly girl, while Julie is a mix between Angie and herself. She's looking forward to the male attention. Ranger has become more of a father to Mary Alice in a few short months then Albert had become in a few years. Both Stephanie and Ranger treated all three girls better than their biological parents. Their brother was fortunate to have two of the greatest people to be his parents.

"I can't wait to meet our brother. I wonder why Mom didn't tell us his name over the phone." Angie exclaimed.

"I think he's going to be named after Dad," Julie said.

"So, I guess that means we'll call him Ricky?" Mary Alice added.

Julie looked around, then said, "I don't think so. Abuelo is called Ricardo or Ricky. I think we might call him something different. Dad is called Carlos, so I'm not sure."

"Girls, Mom said you could come in to meet your brother first," Ranger said as he came out to say hi to his family. "They're in room 415."

The girls hurry to the elevator and quickly walk down the hall. They knock before they enter the room. "Mom! How are you feeling?" Angie immediately asks.

"A little sore, but overall, great. Come on in and meet your brother, Ricardo Carlos Manoso, III."

"I knew it! I should have placed a bet on his name." Julie said under her breathe.

Stephanie laughed. "Jules, you're too funny. You could've joined the pool that I'm sure your uncles had going at Rangeman."

"I tried, but Uncle Lester wouldn't let me join. He said I was too young."

"Julie, dear, I think he was afraid that you had inside information," Steph answered.

"Mom, he's handsome. Will his eyes stay gray?" Mary Alice asked seriously.

"I don't think so. It's common for baby's eyes to change color. I'm hoping they're brown like his father's."

"And I'm hoping for blue like yours, Babe."

Julie walks to her father. "Congratulations Dad. I'm glad you have the chance to be a dad from the beginning."

"Querida, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you were younger. I was young, stupid, and blinded by ambition. It took for me to almost lose you to try to have a relationship with you. It took Stephanie to open my heart to you."

"It's okay, Dad. I understand. I'm glad that you're here for me now when I need you in my life."

"Girls, I am so glad that you came to visit, but your grandparents, aunts, and uncles are all waiting to meet RC. You can come back tomorrow with me. Stephanie and RC are expected to go home on Tuesday." Ranger informed them.

"Okay, then. See you later, Mom. Get some sleep." Angie replied before hugging Stephanie and kissing her on the cheek. Mary Alice copied her sister before saying goodbye to her brother. Julie waited for the girls to leave before whispering in Stephanie's ear, "Thank you for giving me my father back."

Stephanie responded as softly. "You're welcome, querida."

 **One Month Later**

 **Lester's POV**

Today my Godson, RC is being baptized. I was honored to be asked to be his godfather and even more, thrilled that they asked Dani to be his godmother. We will both do anything for Ranger and Stephanie. Ranger has secured my temporary transfer to Miami; where Dani and I will be moving on July 5th. Stephanie insisted that we be here for our Godson's first July 4th. I still can't deny Beautiful.

Our relationship is less strenuous and strained then it was before the Dalton mess ended. Not being in each other's company 24/7 has helped us to regain our friendship and lose the lover relationship. I've also gotten closer to Dani. I know that I will be able to fully commit to Dani once we have time to ourselves in Miami.

Right now, I'm sitting in the living room waiting for Dani to finish getting ready. I'm wearing a gray Armani suit with a white shirt and navy blue tie. Dani walks down the stairs wearing an orchid-colored, strapless dress. It has a fitted bodice, which accentuates her breasts, with a slightly flared skirt. She's wearing black FMPs and looks delicious. I feel my pants tightening. "Baby, you look beautiful. I can't wait to get back here tonight." I say before kissing her senseless.

"You don't look too bad yourself, Lester." She replies. "What time do we have to be at the church?"

"Two. We're going to need at least 2 hours to get there from here."

"Then I guess we better leave now, stud."

An hour and forty-five minutes later, we pull up in front of the church. I see Ranger and Stephanie unloading the car, so I know we arrived only moments behind them. Dani and I walk over to help Stephanie with our Godson. He is wearing a white suit, complete with bow tie. I hope Stephanie doesn't plan on dressing RC like this often. It will ruin his reputation. His eyes have finally settled on dark brown, making him a clone of his father.

Stephanie is a great mother. She was always worried that she wouldn't be a good mother, especially given her gene pool, but she is magnificent. I, along with all the guys, always knew that she'd be a good mother because she is a mother in some respects to most of us. Well, not me, but to a lot of the other guys, yes. I look at what Stephanie and Ranger have with RC and the girls. I want that for Dani and me. We talked about getting married in September, on the beach, in Miami. Maybe by this time next year, I could have a child of my own.

 **Dani's POV**

I was so honored when Stephanie and Ranger asked me to be the godmother to baby RC. I know that it is partially because Lester and me are engaged, but it's also because Stephanie and I are close. She is the sister I never had, while I think for her, I'm the sister she's always wanted. Stephanie has been supportive of our move to Florida, though I know being that far away from us will be difficult for Stephanie. Lester was and is such an essential part of her life. He saved her when she was at her lowest after she believed that Ranger was dead. Now, she's letting Lester save himself. I love Lester. We talked about getting married this fall in Miami. I'm all for it, but Stephanie and Ranger must be there. If they cannot be there, I won't get married. After all, if it weren't for them, we would never have met.

Joe Morelli called me two weeks ago. He found out that he is not the father of Josephine. John is her father. John was color-blind. It turns out that Josephine carries the allele for color blindness. Joe does not. Therefore, she cannot be his daughter. He thanked me for bringing it back out in the open because he was able to settle everything once and for all. He spoke to Lauren. They are going to try to get back together because Joe realized that he does love his wife and children. She is willing to give him another chance, but they will be moving to Chicago. She has some cousins there. Joe was able to transfer to CPD. Lauren believes that if Joe is away from the Burg, then he will be a better, more attentive husband. Stephanie has no idea that Joe is leaving. He's planning on telling her today. I don't know how she will react. Their relationship has been strained since the whole story came out. I think Stephanie finally realized that Joe never appreciated or loved her, but loved the chase, trying to beat Ranger and getting the girl.

Stephanie looks magnificent. No one would believe that she gave birth a month ago. Steph lost almost all of her baby weight, not that she gained much. She's wearing a sapphire blue wrap dress that accentuates her larger, post-baby bust. It is fitted to her waist, where it flares out to end about two inches above her knee. The dress has three-quarter length sleeves. She's wearing a pair of silver, two-inch heels, but not her usual FMPs. Ranger is wearing a navy blue pin-striped suit with a light blue shirt. His tie is blue and black. Since their marriage, Stephanie has added more color to Ranger's wardrobe. I watch Lester's reaction when he sees Stephanie. He still gives her a good, long look, but gone are the predatory glares that she used to receive. It is hard not to notice Stephanie. While she is not drop dead gorgeous, she knows how to dress for her body type. She also has a subtle quality about her that draws people to her. I often see women give her a second look as well.

I watch as Ranger and Stephanie finish getting everything out of the car. Lester walks over and takes RC from them, while the girls take the various diaper bags and other paraphernalia from Stephanie. Ranger and Stephanie are left alone, while I get to observe them together. They look deep into each other eyes, where I can see love, lust and passion burning. They lean into each other giving kisses so passionate and deep that no one can doubt what they mean to each other. I observe Joe pull up with Lauren. He sees their kiss. I can tell that he finally had admitted to himself that Stephanie is unobtainable. Carlos and Stephanie are soulmates, who will be together forever. I turn away to catch up with Lester. He noticed them, too. "Baby, you are all I ever need, I can't wait to be carrying our child into a church for their baptism."

"Well, Lester, that day will be here in about eight months."

"What do you mean, Baby?"

At that moment, Ranger and Stephanie met up with us. Ranger took his son back from Lester. "Lester, you're going to be a father in about six months. I'm three months pregnant."

 **The End (for now)**

 **Author's Note: Thank you for staying with me throughout this story, which started off as a one shot. I enjoyed writing this story, along with reading your reviews as the story progressed. I plan on writing a sequel to this story, but it won't be for a few months. I will begin to work on completing "Changing Seasons." Before I can continue that story, I have to read it from the beginning. I'll be editing it as a go along, reposting chapters after I edit them. Expect the first new chapter in about two weeks.**

 **As always, your reviews are my reward for the hard work, and I look forward to reading your thoughts. Thank you to everyone who has left me reviews throughout this story, especially you Babes who leave multiple reviews. I've tried to respond to many of the reviews, but I often read them on my phone.**

 **Last, but not least, I'd like to thank my awesome beta Susan for helping to ensure that the story was readable and written correctly. Without her, there would be so many more mistakes. Until next time. -Mary**


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